Adrenalize Me
by wellthizizdeprezzing
Summary: Prompt based BDSM fic. Regina is the cutthroat mayor of Storybrooke. But sometimes she just needs to let go of her power and let someone else take control. That's where Emma, professional dominatrix, comes in. Along the way, a search for a simple release might turn into something more. Dom/Sub themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Adrenlize Me**

* * *

 _I crave excess_

 _Turning wine into sweat dripping down my neck_

 _I can't deny, I'd die without this_

 _Make me feel like a god_

 _Adrenaline and sex_

 _-In This Moment-_

* * *

 **A/N: Was given a prompt by a friend. It is vastly different from what I normally write as this will be a BDSM themed story. I'm not an expert on this topic, so what I have is what I've gathered from brief internet searches. I will most likely be utilizing the lightest stuff I can find there. Don't know how long this story will be. So far it's a one shot with a smidgen of plot in it, but if I get enough inspiration I might write more.**

"Swan," Ursula barks out. "You've got a new client." The drag queen sashays towards where Emma is stationed at her vanity, attempting to fix up her makeup. She's just finished a session with one of her subs, a one handed man by the name of Killian whose recently gotten too attached to her. It's not something unusual. It happens when the sub mistakenly thinks that the connection between them during play exists out of it. She may have to either cut him off or have a talk with him because she doesn't want him to get any wrong ideas- it puts her in a rough position.

"Who is it?" she asks, unfazed. She's often being asked to take up new clients. She's one of Ursula's best workers, raking in at least thirty customers per week not to mention a constant stream of regulars that have been funding her deep pockets for months by this point. There's something about her that makes her dominating more realistic, more painfully authentic, and Emma has her rough childhood to thank for that. She'd grown up an orphan and being tough was the only way to survive the streets. She's used to muscling her way into what she wants and in not taking shit from anyone. And it shows in the quality of her work.

"Some politician type." Her boss tosses the file onto her desk, sucking in a long drag of his cig as he leans against her mirror. Today he's wearing a dark purple dress that shimmers in the dark, his wig a gray updo.

"Always the politicians," Emma sighs out in mere commentary. There's just something that turns them on about having so much power only to be stripped of it. She flips through the files and scans over basic information such as height, weight, and background checks for criminal records or mental instability that is standard for each new client that knocks at their door. When her eyes fall on the head shot, her jaw slightly falls. "This-this is-"

"Yea, I know," Ursula chuckles in that throaty way of his that sounds like there's a frog in his voice box. "The mayor of our own very little town. Regina Mills."

"So, she finally caved?" Emma grins over at Ursula.

The drag queen shrugs. "She withstood this long. Longer than any man in power before. Can you take her on?"

Emma peruses the details of what kind of play Regina likes. "Kinky," is all she comments, working at her bottom lip as she decides. "I don't normally do women." Emma has an easier time with men. It's easier to separate work and pleasure with them. With women...well, let's say that Emma is all about pleasure with women.

"I know that."

"Why can't Ruby do it? Or Tamara?"

"Because Regina asked for the best in the business and you're the best I got, Swan," Ursula takes another drag on his cig.

Emma contemplates this a moment. The woman is hot, no doubt about it. Dark hair, slightly tan skin, and intense eyes that could bring Emma down to her knees if the mayor wanted. She's exactly Emma's type and the blonde has a previous small crush on the woman who doesn't take shit from no one. Emma's familiar with the woman's work. She's all about child and healthcare reform and on giving more power to minority groups, all things Emma ardently supports especially because of her horrid time in the foster system. And in person, Regina's tough, no nonsense, and power hungry, not caring about what others say, only doing things her way. It's earned her the nickname Evil Queen in some circles.

"I guess I can take her. She seems like the kind who might back out from this anyways." Because Emma wonders why a woman like her, that brings grown man down to her knees in public, would want the same done to her behind closed doors. Perhaps she's curious? Perhaps she was tricked or blackmailed into doing this? But Emma's not here to understand the finer workings of the inner mind, but to serve pain and pleasure in equal measure. "When is she coming in?"

"She's not coming here. You're to go to her place."

"In-house call?" Emma shouldn't be shocked. Her analysis seems to be proving true. Regina has never done this before. "She's really going to be secretive about this, isn't she?"

"She needs to be. Especially since she's a woman and they would look for any excuse to fire her from office."

"Then she must be in real need if she's doing this anyways." Emma nods her head. "Okay. Tell her I'm in."

"Good," Ursula drawls, snatching up the files. He's going to have to draw up a contract and iron out the finer details. "You just worry your pretty head about looking good and doing your best."

"I always do my best," Emma shot back, capping her lipstick because the final touches were done. She had another client to attend to right now. An older gentleman that needed to be spanked. She strode away in her heels, tossing her hair over her shoulder, and putting the thought of Regina Mills out of her mind.

* * *

"I heard you caught a big fish this time," Ruby starts as she pulls off her wig and fluffs out the hair trapped underneath, glad to be rid of the itchy device. Sometimes clients have specific needs for different hair colors. That's something easily arranged and taken care of and it carves out bigger tips for the girls.

"A _real_ big fish," Emma adds. They may not speak about their clients past these doors but that doesn't mean they can't gossip about them now. "Guess who?"

"I don't know, some international guy?" Ruby shrugs, starting the process of taking off her makeup. Ursula's sex business is pretty well known for it's stellar quality and the wide fetishes it caters too. It's main focus was the dom/sub kink but there were a couple of girls who took care of real specific ones such as age play, balloon popping, or choking, and some more even niche than that. Often people from other states were attracted here, and on occasion, some international business men too.

"No, closer to home."

Ruby paused here, stumped. "Gold?"

He was a wealthy land owner and business man here. He practically owned all of Maine.

"No." Emma couldn't imagine him yielding to anyone. He was the type of man who didn't relent power, no matter the situation.

"I don't know," Ruby sighed out.

"You really suck at guessing games," Emma shook her head as she began to unlock the clasps of her dominatrix outfit.

"I don't get paid to guess," Ruby said and without warning she grabbed Emma by the shoulder and spun her down into an armchair in their changing room. She pressed one heel in between Emma's legs, spreading them, and grabbed a fistful of her hair, long blonde tresses in her tight grasp. "I get paid to be a bitch." She jerked Emma's face up to hers and Emma laughed.

"Is that supposed to be intimidating?"

Ruby sighed and let go of Emma's hair, dropping the sudden act. "You know I'm still learning. I've only been here half a year."

Ruby was one of the newer arrivals. A girl fresh from high school who wanted to avoid scrubbing counters at her Granny's dinner and making minimum wage. Working here she made more money, enough to even fund a community college education when she decided to eventually go. "You need to teach me that thing you do with your eyes." Ruby strode back to her mirror to continue removing her make up while Emma got up, shedding her tight outfit now and placing her regular street clothes on. She liked to dress comfortably. Flannels and jeans.

"I don't know if it can be taught. It's just how I look when I get into the zone. You have to look for the one thing that you do that's specific to you and capitalize on it. Make it something you're known for exclusively."

It's good advice that Ruby compartmentalizes with a nod of her head.

"Hey, you still haven't told me who the person is," she remembers.

Emma stalls for effect, slamming her locker shut. "Regina Mills."

Ruby's jaw drops open. "No way. _Her?_ I didn't know she was into women."

"She's been very good at hiding it."

"Ya no shit, given she's engaged to a man!"

Emma picked up her bag. "See ya."

"You better dish what happens in your sesh!" Ruby calls after her.

"Can't. She made me sign a nondisclosure agreement!" Emma calls back and heads out into the rainy weather outside.

* * *

It takes a while to organize everything and they finally meet for the first time a week after Emma initially found out who her new client is. She packs all her gear up in her duffel bag and gets into the town car that is sent to fetch her. There is a divider so she can't talk to the chauffeur, not that she would want to. She knows better than to open her mouth. Ursula's business is known for it's tight lips and Emma had to be foolish to breach that now, especially with such a sensitive privacy minded customer.

There's a ball of nerves in her stomach. She can't believe she's going to the mayor's house. Can't believe she's going to do this on her. She wants it to be perfect. Wants to be on her best game, but she has a tiny crush on the woman and it makes her over think everything. Will Regina be acerbic in person when they meet? Or will she be nice? Will she treat Emma like she doesn't exist? Like she's just a napkin to clean up a mess and that is useless once dirty and used?

Only one way to figure that out. The town car pulls up to the mayor's mansion and sucking in a deep breath, Emma gets out of the car, luggage in hand. She has no more time for overthinking things through. She's here and she's going to see this to the end. Tentatively she knocks on the door and it swings open a moment later, a harsh voice urging her in. "Get in."

She does quickly, the door slamming shut behind her. Emma's in splendor, white marbles halls and high end furniture and lighting. But she's not here for this, but for the hostess behind her. Regina Mills is pressed up against the door as if she's afraid news reporters might barge in unless she holds it closed. She's still in her work clothes; a blue top, unbuttoned to the third button, and slacks that hug her curves in an illegal manner. Emma's never been this close to the mayor before and it's exhilarating and intimidating at the same time.

"Were you followed here?" she asks and god, her voice is rich and husky. Emma can't wait to hear it in the throes of ecstasy.

"No, I don't think I was," Emma says, mouth dry, and she remembers to swallow. Damn, she hates being this nervous, but this is the reason why she doesn't dominate women. They make it hard for her to keep her feelings behind the lines.

Regina contemplates the validity of this before she nods her head briskly. "Okay." The word hangs between them, air awkward, and Emma realizes that Regina is nervous too, more so than Emma is.

"Have you ever done this before?" Emma asks.

"No, I haven't. I don't know how to...uh, progress," and now Emma has heard the mayor stammer for the first time ever. It's cute. Suddenly Emma feels more at ease.

"There's no need to worry. We can take it easy today. Figure out where exactly your boundaries lie."

"That sounds good."

"Where's your bathroom? I need to change," Emma hefts up her bag.

"Upstairs, down the hall."

"And your bedroom?"

"Two doors down from the bathroom."

"Good," Emma smiles and walks in the direction of the bathroom. Inside she takes her time but not too long. It's important to let the client relax, to settle their nerves, but not to drag the time out for too long or else they might get bored, or start rethinking things and stressing more. Emma pulls on her get up, a tight leather number that is a corset on top and has straps of leather running up and down her legs, barely covering her privates with the small slivers of material. Black pumps slip onto her feet and long gloves cover up to her arms.

Her make up is dark, foundation pale, and lips and eyes dark as temptation. She shakes out her curls a bit more so they have more volume and then she steps out of the bathroom, taking her tools with her. She brought a couple for Regina to try out to gauge her reactions to it.

In the bedroom, sparsely decorated and with hints of purple and black in the decor, sat Regina in a chaise, sipping on something amber in her glass. She held herself regally, legs crossed, back straight and neck up high. Emma wonders how such a stiff position can be comfortable.

When she sees Emma walk in, a little exhale leaves her lips as her eyes hungrily lap up all that skin and leather. "You like?" Emma asks, pushing her breasts out more, pleased that Regina finds her attractive.

"Yes," Regina croaks out and clears her throat. "Drink?" she offers, gesturing to an opened decanter and empty glass on her vanity.

"No thank you. I prefer to work sober." Not the case always because there are some clients who are just unbearable without some alcohol but Emma wants to have her wits about her when she works with Regina. She doesn't want to slip up.

"I brought some things for you to try out." Ursula already noted the things that Regina liked, but it was different when the actual time came to use them and Emma wanted to make sure that she double checked. Emma snapped open her case and let Regina have a good look at the items there. She raises them one by one. "Nipple clamps? And you can say yay, nay, or maybe, and I'll work from there."

Regina takes another drink to steady her nerves and thinks about her options. "Maybe."

Emma pulls out the next object. "Butt plug?"

"No." Regina's brow furrows in disgust at the idea.

"Riding crop?"

"Yes."

"Whip?"

"Yes."

"Handcuffs?"

"Isn't that a bit vanilla?" Regina comments, using humor to make herself more at ease.

"Hey, some like vanilla in their spice," Emma said playfully. "But is that a yes? Or no?"

"It's a yes."

"If you want something more hard core, there's rope. It's used in a play called Shibari which is all about trust and it can feel really good. But I wouldn't recommend it for you just yet. It can be emotionally sapping. I know Ursula told you, but I must remind you that these plays can sometimes be emotionally and mentally draining not just physically. You need to be honest with me along the way."

"I know," Regina snapped out. "I know what I'm getting into."

"Do you?" Emma arched a brow at the sudden defensive tone. Wearing her get up made her feel more confident in herself- like she was on more equal grounds with Regina- and so she felt at ease testing the woman when she never would have dreamed of publicly.

Regina let out an irritated little huff that stirred a strand of hair over her eyes. "Yes."

"Very well. I only have two more items for you to look over." Emma pulled out a paddle.

"Yes," Regina said hurriedly, no doubt itching to get started. Good, that meant she was more comfortable now, and would have a better time than if she entered this uptight.

"And this?"

This was a collar and chain set.

Regina hesitated on this, the yes barely making it past her lips but Emma knew what this was. Apparently Regina thought this might be too kinky but it was clear with the way her eyes darkened that she really liked that.

"Hmmm, I think we have a winner," Emma hummed playfully. "I think I know what we're going to use today."

"But I never said-"

"You didn't have to. I can see it in your face. Don't worry about your wants. I've seen every kink under the sun," that was a gross overstatement but she needed to reassure Regina it was okay. She was here to help people who might feel like their wants weren't normal, weren't catered to by the public. She was here to satisfy them for her. "There's nothing you want that I can't do."

Regina didn't say anything to that, just swallowed the last of her drink. She set the glass down, wiping her palms on her thighs as she took a steadying breath. "Okay. I'm ready."

"Green is good, yellow is slow down or take a break, and red is stop. Clear?"

Regina nodded her head.

"And do you have a safe word?"

"Apple."

"And will you remember to use it when you feel uncomfortable?"

"Yes," was the slightly breathless promise. Emma could feel herself growing breathless too. This was finally happening. Countless men had no doubt dreamed of getting Regina to bend to them, and here Emma was, about to have that privilege and that fantasy become so very true.

It was like a switch was flipped over Emma. She entered her work mind set. Her features grew colder, her back straighter, and she more confident. Her warm tones from before were gone. "Sit on the bed," she instructed as she unbuckled the collar. Regina did as asked and began to unbutton her shirt.

"Did I tell you to strip?" she barked harshly and Regina jumped at the loud tone.

"No, you didn't-"

"Did I say you can talk back to me?"

Regina opened her mouth to answer before she realized better and closed it.

"Smart girl," Emma purred in praise. "You don't do anything unless I tell you to. And you do not talk unless I instruct you to. I'm going to be lenient with your mistakes today because it's your first time, but I won't be so forgiving next time. Slip up and I will punish you harshly. Is that clear?"

"Yes."

"Yes, _mistress_ ," Emma stressed.

"Yes mistress," Regina corrected.

"Good girl. Now come here."

Regina obediently rose, excitement in her eyes. With steady hands Emma clipped the collar on. It was a thick black cord that rested snugly on the column of Regina's neck. It looked good there. And given the way that Regina's chest was rising up and down more rapidly she felt good about it too.

"Kneel," Emma commanded and Regina did, awaiting her next order. It's always a good feeling to have those more powerful kneeling at Emma's command. It's part of the reason why Emma joined this job in the first place. She's never had much power in the world, so being able to rob those that had it, of it, and make them do her bidding is a high that she will never lose.

And there is something especially intoxicating in having such a stunning and powerful woman at her feet.

"What, you like this?" Emma tugs the chain closer, jerking Regina's head up roughly, the collar tightening on her neck. "Want to be my bitch?"

Regina lets out a little breathy "uh huh" that does things to Emma's stomach. She ignores it as best she can. "I didn't hear an answer."

"Yes," Regina breathes out.

"Yes what?" Emma jerks on Regina's collar in recrimination.

"Yes mistress," she amends.

"I think you forget who I am. How important I am. You are nobody. Nobody, you hear me?" she hisses and Regina nods her head raptly. She's getting more into the play. Gone is the proud slant of her shoulders and the straight back. Gone is the harsh expression on her face and the haughty look in her gaze. Now all she has is compliance and wanting to please her mistress. "I think you should kiss my feet."

Regina bends her head, gets as low as she can, lips pressing light kisses to the start of Emma's ankle, before moving up and up more, mouth leaving behind red color from her lips stick. Her hands trail up with her, reverent, and her breath is hot on pale skin. She only gets up to Emma's knee before the blonde tugs the chain to pull her away. She's starting to feel too much from those kisses and she needs to regroup. It's not unusual to get aroused for her. These things happen. It's a natural reaction. But she doesn't want to scare Regina away with that. Doesn't want to break the facade of a completely unaffected mistress. She's not paid to get herself off but to get her clients off.

"Stop that. Stop it," Emma growls when Regina doesn't pull away quickly enough. "I don't need any more of your pathetic slobber on me. Get on the bed." Regina scrambles to her legs, sits down on the covers. "Turn around. Get on your hands and knees." She does as asked and Emma takes the chance to snatch up some handcuffs and to take in the shape of the woman's ass. Damn does she have a great one even with all the sitting behind her desks that she does.

Crawling up behind her, she slots her hips against Regina's ass and hears the slight intake of breath. She smiles despite herself. "Give me your hands." Regina offers them up and Emma expertly clicks the handcuffs around them before attaching that to the headboard. Now Regina's in place, her hands and head immobile but not too tightly so that it'll chafe her. Due to her new position she has to balance on her elbows and her head kisses the top of her sheets. It sticks her rump out nicely into the air.

"You like being like this. On your hands and knees, like the little slut you are," Emma whispers into Regina's ear, breath ghosting and sending goosebumps down the mayor's neck. Tied up, Regina has no where to go. "What color are we at?" Emma asks in a softer tone of voice.

"Green."

"Good," Emma hums, running her hands up and down Regina's sides, bunching up the blue material and letting it drop back, never taking it off. She's teasing, letting the slightest glimmer of her tips touch Regina's warmed flesh as her hips slowly rock into her. It's not enough to do anything and Emma knows Regina's frustrated. When the woman tries to rock back harder, Emma merely moves away. "That's not what we do. Naughty pets don't get to demand from their mistress anything."

"I'm sorry mistress," she whispers.

"I suppose I could forgive you this time," Emma says. She resumes their gentle rocking, this time letting her fingers push the buttons of her shirt through their holes, slowly one by one. Fingers of one hand skate up and down warm flesh, defined flesh. The mayor has time for a toned stomach, hot damn. Emma is tempted to flip her around just to see it but she resists. She will not break character. Her hand goes searching up higher, while her other hand teases at the button on Regina's slacks. She finds the pads of a soft bra, fingers sneaking under to twist a turgid nipple. Regina lets out a huge shaking breath and her hips twitch against Emma's losing their rhythm.

"Do you like that? Do you want more?"

"Yes, mistress. I do."

"Then beg me for it."

"Please, mistress. Touch me more."

"Touch you where?"

"Everywhere. My breasts, my thighs, my pussy. I need you." Pure desire in those words.

Emma swallows harshly, lungs deflating as her breath was stolen. God damn, did the mayor just say that? It should be illegal to hear such words fall from her mouth in that husky tone of hers.

"Since you asked so nicely," Emma says once she recovers her breath. The bra has a clasp in the front and Emma undo's it with one hand, twisting Regina's nipple harshly while her other hands fingers slide into slick heat and even through her gloves she can feel how hot and wet she is.

"You like being fucked like this? From behind? Like some animal?"

"Yes. I do," Regina moans, stomach jumping in shock at the touch. She sucks in a deep breath and Emma has to remind herself to breath easily.

"Tell me how much you like it," Emma urges as her fingers languidly play with Regina's clit, spreading moisture around.

"I like being fucked like this. Like I'm some animal. Like I am not deserving to be treated like a human."

"I bet you spread your legs for anyone, don't you?" Emma urged, dipping her fingers in more and moving them in and out as she rocked her hips harder into Regina. The brunette's hands jerked on her handcuffs but she couldn't reach over and touch Emma like she wanted to. A low moan exited her throat.

"Harder," Regina begged, prompting Emma to pull out. The brunette let out a little disappointed whimper.

"You don't tell me what to do. If I decide you deserve me going harder than I will. Right now you don't deserve it."

"I'm sorry, mistress," Regina apologized, hips bucked up to chase after Emma's heat but Emma was already retreating.

"No, not this time," Emma said, moving away in disinterest, taking a seat in the chaise by the bed and helping herself to the alcohol that was there. She took a sip, surprised by the taste of it. "This is delicious. What is it?"

Regina was stuck unsatisfied, shirt undone, hair tousled and slacks pushed down to her knees revealing her leaking desire. She let out a long desperate groan. "Mistress, I need-"

"Do I hear you ordering me around again?" Emma snapped out harshly. "What did I tell you about ordering me around?"

"You said not to do it-"

"And you won't. You will wait patiently for me to to finish my drink as you reflect on what you did wrong."

Regina let out another groan, wiggling her hips in the air as if she could get some friction.

"Do I hear more complaining? I guess I might enjoy two drinks instead of just one." This shut Regina up. Emma truly wouldn't draw this out this long. After a while it wasn't fun anymore for the client. Orgasm denial was an art and one had to time it correctly. So Emma didn't finish her drink, merely sucked some excess up into her mouth and went back to the bed, her heels clicking loudly and drawing Regina's attention. Jerking Regina's head up roughly by the back of her hair, she pressed her lips against Regina's pushing the alcohol in. A drop slipped free, racing down Regina's mouth corner.

"And now you waste a single drop of what I give you? Everything I give you is to be treasured," Emma growled as she pulled free of Regina's lips.

"Mistress I-" Regina swallowed down the cider, an excuse ready on her tongue.

"Making excuses?" Emma slapped Regina's cunt painfully from behind.

Regina jerked forwards at the unexpected action, a low moan escaping her.

"I didn't hear an answer." Emma slapped her again. Her glove came back even wetter this time.

"Y-yes. I am. Mistress." Her eyes fluttered shut and she bit her bottom lip as Emma slid her fingers back into increasing wetness. Walls tightened greedily on her digits. as if holding them tightly would prevent Emma from leaving again.

"What way should I punish you for it? For messing up my gift to you? For trying to excuse your sloppy and ungrateful behavior."

When Regina didn't say anything, lost to the feel of Emma's fingers thrusting in and out of her, Emma began to prompt her. "Should I stop fucking you?" She paused her fingers here. "Should I just leave?" She pulled her hand out again causing Regina to sob.

"No, mistress don't."

"I won't, but only if you make it up to me."

"I'll do anything. Anything."

"Good. What I want you to do is not cum. No matter what, you cannot cum," Emma emphasized.

Regina nodded her head obediently. Emma began to thrust in and out again, this time with all the strength in her arm, other hand circling around Regina's clit. Regina buried her head into the covers in a vain attempt to stifle her moans. She was climbing quickly if the shaking of her thighs were any indication. "Don't come Regina. Don't come," Emma warned.

"I-I can't. I-god-I-"

"You said you would do anything for me. Don't go back on your word right now."

Regina bit into her upper arm, to stave off her orgasm with pain. Emma had to admire her dedication. So she devilishly decided to make it even harder, curling her finger and brushing against the rough patch of Regina's walls, a move that she knew drove any woman crazy.

Sudden warmth and wetness dripped all over Emma's hand. Regina had come without her permission. Her shoulders shook and a moan exited her throat though it was muffled by cloth. She looked shocked by her own orgasm and the intensity of it. Watching her come made Emma's insides turn to liquid and she shut her eyes and tried to calm down her own body's reaction. But it was hard to do when she could still feel Regina clenching around her fingers, so intimately.

Emma would let her have this. It was time to end anyways. This was enough for a first session. She pulled free with a slick noise and Regina finally collapsed onto her stomach. Emma ran soothing circles over her back, until her breathing returned to normal.

"So, how are you feeling?" Emma asked, now out of her dominatrix mode. Aftercare was an important part of her job too. She had to make sure her clients didn't relapse.

"Better," Regina said after a while when she could speak once more. Emma's brows went up when she saw drops of red staining the blue shirt's sleeve. "Are you bleeding?" she asked softly, moving to uncuff Regina. The woman sat up, rubbing her wrists and looking at her sleeve in question.

"Can I look?" Emma prompted softly and Regina shook her head, still too lethargic to do much. Emma rolled down her shirt and saw teeth marks in her upper arm where she had bit down, having drawn blood.

Jesus, how hard had she bitten down to avoid her orgasm? "Does this hurt?"

"I'll be fine," Regina answered gruffly. She was avoiding Emma's eyes now. Emma knew what this. Guilt and shame for getting off to such acts. Some clients experienced this after their first couple of times especially if they thought what they were doing was unnatural. Emma couldn't do much for that. It was something the client had to work out on their own. Sometimes they never did work it out and never came back.

Emma wanted Regina to come back. There was just something so intoxicating about the way the woman was submissive, about how she came. Emma wanted to top her for many more sessions and the realization frightened her. She knew she shouldn't have done this with a woman, especially one she had a small crush on. But she had to for work obligations and now she was worried about what it could mean for her.

"I'm going to stay here for a little while to-"

"It's okay," Regina stood up from the bed, pulling her shirt back on, fixing her bra. "I can take care of myself."

"I can't leave you. I need to make sure you don't crash."

"I wont, Miss. Swan." And here it was, that cold dismissive behavior that Emma expected of Regina, had worried she would see it, and now she was. She felt crushed for some reason. She hated being used and then tossed aside, it was all something too reminiscent of her foster days. She got up, clearing her throat, schooling her features. Regina now had her back to her, not even deigning to look at her. That hurt worst of all.

"Very well. I'll be on my way as soon as I change."

"The town car will be waiting for you outside." And then Regina was striding out of her room, leaving Emma in the empty cold bedroom herself. Sighing, she got to work cleaning up her stuff and within twenty minutes she was out the door, not bumping into Regina even once. The woman couldn't even be bothered to walk her out.

The car took her back to Ursula's place where she dropped off her stuff and came across Tink, another one of their girls. She did roleplay a lot, having the actress background for it. "What's wrong? You look drained?"

"I did a house call. And let's say, they were an asshole," Emma grumbled out. Her body was torn in a weird state of arousal and anger at her latest session.

"Sorry to hear that. No one wants to deal with an asshole," Tink said.

And when Emma went to her apartment that night, she lifted her hand up to her lips. Even though she had been wearing gloves she could still feel the way Regina had clenched down on her fingers, on how hot and thick her cum had been. Letting her eyes slip closed, Emma buried her hand into the apex of her thighs and rubbed one out to her client.

It was something she had never done before and she knew she was fucked even before everything else happened.


	2. Chapter 2

**Adrenlize Me**

* * *

 _Just one shot and go_

 _Two shots and go_  
 _For me this world is hazy_  
 _I don't wanna talk_  
 _Don't wanna talk_  
 _Just let me fuck you baby_

 _-Maruv-_

* * *

 **A/N: Um, looks like I had another idea for this prompt. Hope you enjoy the second chapter.**

 **Also, I highly recommend watching the video for the song listed above (Maruv, Drunk Groove). It fits the theme of leather quite nicely; almost like BDSM vibes.**

"Swan!" Ursula's smoke heavy smoke voice called out.

"What?" Emma huffed out in irritation. She's had three back to back play sessions with only enough time in between to freshen up and she's starving. Being hangry has it's perks as she comes off extra bitchy and domineering, but she doesn't enjoy feeling like her stomach is being sucked out through a straw.

She tossed her platinum blonde wig onto her chair as Ursula came up to her. "How was your session with the mayor last night? I didn't get a chance to ask."

Emma frowned. "You never ask. Why now?" Usually Ursula only came up to his girls when there was an issue or when more was demanded from them.

"Because I got good reviews from her, and you know that woman. She's stingy with her words of praise."

"I'm surprised," Emma snorted sarcastically at the confirmation of Regina's caustic speech, but on the inside she was highly pleased. She had thought the woman might not be sated.

"So I'm booking another session for her with you."

Emma's head snapped up at that, pausing in her removal of her earrings. "Already?" Wasn't it a bit too soon? Typically clients waited a month or two before their next one. These sessions weren't inexpensive.

"Relax," Ursula chuckled at Emma's wide eyed look. "It'll be for the end of the month. It seems you've gotten her hooked on this. You up for it?"

Emma shrugged, trying to come off as casual even as her stomach churned in excitement and worry. "Sure." But Ursula was able to see the tension in her shoulders. He knew why she didn't do women and he didn't want to break his best dom. "It's alright if you don't want to continue this. I just need you to do the first ten sessions and then I'll transfer you over to the usual crowd."

Emma wanted that, as logically it was a good idea to run before she could get too deep. But her body churned with longing, with wanting to be the only woman to ever top Regina. It had only been one session and not even an intense one at that, but she wanted to see more, wanted to do more, wanted Regina begging for her to fuck her. Wanted to truly dominate the powerful woman until she belonged to no one but Emma. "It's fine."

Ursula arched a painted brow. He knew that this industry could eat women alive but he was going to respect Emma's wishes. He knew she was strong and if anything, she would tell him if something bothered her. "Very well. And how's the situation with Killian?"

"I'm going to talk to him. I don't need him getting the wrong idea." Because the situation wasn't getting better nor had it mellowed out at all.

Ursula nodded his head curtly. "Excellent. Let me know if he gives you trouble and I'll knock him out for you." He flexed his arm and his bicep rolled, his voice dropping down a couple pitches to his normal tone.

Emma smiled. "I wouldn't want you to pull a muscle, grandma."

"Grandma!" he huffed, scandalized. "Fifty isn't old."

"For a woman it is," Emma commented and they both had a moment of silence for the complications of gender roles and age in this modern world.

"Chin up darling," Ursula cuffed her chin none too gently and Emma suspected that had to do with showing off his strength despite his age. He turned on his heel and left. Emma went about packing up for the day before she went home.

* * *

The month passed in no specific manner for Emma. She would work, go home, eat, and either drink or go straight to sleep. Sometimes she'd have friends over. Ruby would come over and they'd get wasted together, comparing all the men they've fucked or not fucked. Or Neal and Belle would bring some board games or movies and fill her empty apartment with laughter and happy chatter. But such warm moments were rare. Adulthood wasn't all it was cracked up to be. It was filled with more lonely moments than satisfactory ones.

Oddly enough, Emma found herself looking forward to meeting up with Regina. Would she be rude to Emma like she was last time? Or would she feel more comfortable in her desires and be frank and nice to Emma?

Only time would tell, and by the end of the month Emma found herself in a town car driving towards the mayor's mansion. Just like last time she was hastily urged inside. Except this time, Regina was more confident, and she was wearing less. Just a simple white work shirt and black pinstripe skirt on.

"Miss Swan," she greeted, eyes cool and appraising.

Emma could feel her nerves resurfacing and she itched to put her outfit on so she could feel more confident. "Mayor. Shall we get started?" she asked because she didn't know what else to do.

"Yes, I suppose we should. I'll be waiting upstairs." With that they parted ways and Emma got ready. Her outfit was different this time. She had several pairs of them so as to switch things up. This one was literally made of scraps of material stitched together in asymmetrical fashion. The leather straps on top cupped her breasts nicely with only a small triangle of clothe to hide her nipples. And her privates were only just barely covered as well. This time she put on thigh high boots and did her makeup a bit lighter, painting her lips a cheery red. Done, she left the bathroom and found Regina waiting on the bed, legs crossed and sipping on something strong. Her eyes raked over Emma's figure greedily. Emma liked that. She liked being appreciated by another beautiful woman.

"Drink?" Regina asked, and apparently it was just a custom of hers to ask.

"I'll pass this time. Tell me, what do you want?"

Regina took her time thinking this over, no doubt hesitating partially because of moral reservations. Emma waited patiently. "Rougher," at last escaped Regina's throat and it was husked out. She cleared her throat, a light flush on her cheeks. "I want it rougher than last time."

Emma nodded her head. "And do you want me to use new toys or do you want to stay with the same ones?"

"You...you can keep the collar," she said, her voice smaller than before as her hold tightened on the glass. "And take out a riding crop."

"Very well." Emma digs them out of her bag, both cleaned and ready for use. "And you remember the rules?"

Regina nodded her head, eager to get on. Once she'd seen the collar her eyes had gained an insatiable glimmer to them. "Green is go. Yellow is slow down or take a break, and red is stop. And my safe word is Apple."

"Good. And you will call me mistress while we play, and you will not do or say anything unless I tell you too."

"Understood."

The dominant mode fell over Emma. It was like an armor was thrown over her, making her gait stronger, making her face harsher. While her armor ascended, Regina's was taken down. She lost the mayoral control and air as her face became softer, her shoulders more rounded and body pliant, like the fight was going out of her.

Emma strode up to the edge of the bed where Regina was and gripping the front of her shirt, lifted her up, while the other hand snatched the glass from her manicured fingers quickly. "Get up," she snarled as she spilled the amber remains of the liquid onto the floor before setting the glass out of the way. "And clean that up."

When Emma let go of the woman's shirt, she went to go fetch a tissue, but Emma stopped her once more. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To get a tissue-"

"I said to clean it up. And you will do so by getting down on your hands and knees and licking it up like the animal you are."

Emma watched in satisfaction as Regina got down to her hands and knees and bent her head down to lap up the mess. Her pink tongue was enticing and Emma wondered how it would feel to have that tongue on her, having it's wicked way. She pushed the thought away when she felt her nipples harden.

"Faster," she hissed at Regina, planting a boot on the woman's back and shoving her closer to it.

"Yes mistress," Regina obeyed and worked faster, doing the best she could until only a wet mark remained where the mess had once been.

"You're disgusting. Licking up filth from the floor. I shouldn't be surprised. You're nothing but an untrained savage. But I'm going to train you to behave." She brandished the collar that had been on the drawer top, just aching to be used. "Come here. On your hands and knees."

Regina crawled towards her, clear excitement on her face for the collar. Emma snapped it on in one smooth motion. She wondered why the collar was Regina's favorite item. It often stood for ownership. But did it mean that to Regina, or was it some other reason? Emma shook her head to focus herself. Now wasn't the time for thinking but for action.

"Good girl. I want you to take your skirt off now. Quickly," she instructed. Regina did as asked, folding it neatly and placing it by her side before settling back down onto her haunches once more. Tan smooth skin greeted Emma and her eyes were lost on where those powerful thighs went up to before she refocused again. "Are you wet? Excited already?"

"Yes mistress," Regina breathed out, eyes darkening with desire.

"I want you to prove that to me. Touch yourself." Regina did as ordered, slipping her hand into her thin lacy thong. Her hand emerged a second later, fingers glistening with wetness. Emma was pleased by that. "Lick yourself clean." Regina popped her hands into her mouth and looked up at Emma as she did so, purposefully dragging the moment out and locking gazes to make it more intense. Emma swallowed hard and had to take in two deep breaths to regain a normal quality to her voice. "Do you taste how much of a slut you are? We haven't even done anything and you're already dripping wet. You were probably wet and waiting before I even stepped foot here. Did you touch yourself after what we did the first time?"

"Yes, mistress," Regina moaned around her fingers, pulling them out and dragging her bottom lip while doing it. Emma was filled with the urge to pull on that bottom lip and bite down hard. Maybe she would get a chance to do that. Regina had said she wanted it to be rougher today.

"Did you wish it was my fingers doing that?"

"Yes, mistress."

"Are you going to ask me to do it again?"

When Regina nodded her head wordlessly, Emma tugged on the chain, jerking Regina's head up. "Well I won't. You don't deserve my fingers in your needy little cunt."

"But mistress, I need-" Regina started, hands twitching as if she would grab onto Emma's legs and beseech her.

"Did I say you could make demands of me?"

Regina shook her head no.

"No, exactly. Maybe if I like the way you touch yourself I'll indulge you."

Regina's hand eagerly slipped down her panties which had darkened more from her arousal.

"Spread your thighs more," Emma nudged her legs apart with a heeled boot so she could see more and Regina complied, her head falling back as she began to enjoy the motions she was making. "Slowly," Emma warned. "Or I won't reward you."

It took tremendous effort but Regina slowed her motions down. "Good pet," Emma purred. "You may insert one finger into yourself."

Regina's eyes fluttered shut as she did so, a little moan leaving her painted lips. Emma could read in her body language that the woman was going to eventually build up into an orgasm. Her stomach was going tighter and her hips twitching with her hand motions. "Add another finger. But don't come. Slow motions."

Regina complied and bent forward, crown hitting Emma's knee cap. "Mistress, I can't-I w-want you to touch me-I want to come on your hand."

That made Emma's insides twist but she kept the small moan of pleasure she wanted to make inside. She wanted Regina cumming hard on her fingers too, but she was a dominatrix and she didn't give in easily. "What did I tell you about making demands?" she hissed angrily, jerking on the chain until a small choke exited Regina's mouth.

"Not to-" she stuttered out. "But I'm begging not demanding-"

"I think you're behaving too spoiled. Talking back to me without my permission. Get on the bed," Emma said briskly and decisively.

Regina rose to her shaking feet, hand falling out of her panties.

"Lay down flat on your stomach." Once Regina was down flat, Emma walked over and got the riding crop from where it had been laid out, ready. She snapped it onto her hand and Regina jumped, a shiver of delight crawling down her back at the sound. Anticipation built in her belly. She wanted to look up but her mistress had told her not to.

"I think five strokes should teach you, or do you think that's too little?"

When Regina didn't answer, Emma pulled her head up roughly by her short sable locks. "Answer me, pet."

"Yes. I think five is enough, mistress," she gasped out, voice strained by the uncomfortable position her neck was in.

"A pet needs to punished, otherwise how will they know not to chew shoes or to not pee indoors. This is for your own good." She dropped Regina's head back down and rolling her wrist, she got ready for the first hit. "You might want to hold onto something," she warned and a second later she struck.

There was a satisfying smacking sound and Regina's right cheek jiggled as the crop landed. A bright red strip burgeoned there. It made Emma happy. It was such a beautiful color on such a wonderful ass. Regina's cry of pain had been short because it had melded with a happy little moan and her legs had shifted wider, inviting Emma in more.

"Do you like that? Do you like getting smacked?"

"Yes mistress," Regina answered and was served another two hits in quick succession. All on the same cheek. She hissed in happy pain and clutched the bed sheets with her hands, knuckles turning white.

"Maybe I should hit your cunt?" Emma toyed, pacing around in her heels, drawing out the tension. "Should teach it to stop being so greedy for my fingers." Teasingly she trailed the crop over Regina's panties, the woman jolting at the sensation, sensitive and eager. "Should I?"

The woman was hesitating, afraid to give a voice to this desire. Emma could sense this, so when Regina didn't answer, Emma did so anyways and Regina jolted once more, another moan falling from her lips. "That's four hits. One more to go. What color are we on?" Emma's voice dropped into a softer range at this, stroking the crop up and down Regina's buttocks soothingly.

"Green," was the answer.

"Good." And then Emma delivered the last blow, putting in all her arm strength behind it. Regina's eyes slammed shut at that and she let out a huffy exhale, enjoying the lingering sting.

"Now get up." Regina took too long to do so, prompting Emma to pull on her leash and drag her to her feet. "Are we being delinquent?" she asked, eyes dark and using her riding crop to push Regina's chin up painfully. "Are you resisting?"

"No mistress," was the faithful answer.

"Then why do I see this pouting?" Because damn it, Regina was pouting and it was so hot on the woman, seeing her full lips sticking out. It sparked that familiar impulse in Emma to bite Regina's lip and so she did just that this time.

There was a gasp of shock from Regina at the sharp canines in her lips, at the burst of blood pooling free. Her hands went up to Emma's shoulders, tugging her closer as Emma backed them up and let Regina hit the wall behind her with a painful thud, head banging into it.

The mayor's lips were impossibly soft for someone with such a sharp tongue and Emma let the kiss draw out, let herself indulge in it. Regina's mouth tasted of apple cider and peppermint gum and the copper taste of blood at her split lip. Hips came together, Regina rocking hers into Emma with needy force and it took everything inside Emma to not do the same.

Her nails dug into skin as Regina's tugged on her hair, running the full length of it with trembling hands. Emma forced herself to pull back before she could lose anymore of her control. Regina's lip stick was all smeared and Emma liked the look, the look of her being ravished. She wanted to make Regina fall apart even more.

"You poor thing. You must be so aroused now, having to wait around for me to arrive and even then being deprived of an orgasm." Her voice was husky and low and she nibbled on a spot under Regina's jaw. She wasn't supposed to do that, but how could she help herself? The mayor was too hot and tempting for her own good.

"You must be hurting with arousal," Emma continued as she cupped Regina's soaked sex and the woman's hips jerked forwards in answer. She had dripped down her legs, clear pearls that had Emma lifting her own fingers into her mouth. God, she tasted so good. Rich and heady. She circled her tongue around her fingers, letting Regina see exactly how much she liked her taste.

Regina let out a breathy little 'oh' and let her head thunk back against the wall, squeezing her eyes shut to keep herself contained as her hands curled haplessly against Emma's shoulder as if silently begging her to do something. "Don't worry. I don't like seeing my pet in pain. I'll offer you my leg so you can hump against it like the animal you are." She ripped the slender material covering Regina's sex with her fingers, tossing the scrap aside.

Regina didn't need anymore prompting as Emma's slim but toned thigh slid between her legs. She immediately ground down, sobbing at the touch. Her head dropped down onto Emma's shoulder as she began to glide the length of her slit across warm muscle. There was no rhythm to her actions, only pure lust as hands grabbed onto Emma's back and tugged her in closer.

The only sound in the room was Regina's ragged breaths and the obscene noises of her wetness. Emma's heart was pounding in her chest and she ignored the warmth spreading between her own legs as she kept the both of them up, one hand on the wall, one on Regina's lower back.

This was just a job. Just a job.

Emma found it harder and harder to remind herself of that.

She could feel Regina cresting around her, her chest heaving, her cheeks flushed. And then she was coming, with nails digging into Emma's back and cum dripping down warm onto Emma's thigh as she keened low in her throat.

The scent of her arousal floated into Emma's nose and she swallowed down the mouthful of saliva that rose in her throat. "Did I say you could cum?" she growled out, slipping her leg free and forcing Regina to stand on quivering thighs.

Regina paused at this, really pondering the question. "N-no," she answered at last when coherence returned to her, and Emma bared her teeth, being extra nasty to forget her own arousal. "No, I didn't. Your orgasms belong to me, or did you forget? You don't cum until I let you. That's going to be ten lashes."

"Mistress, I'm sorry. You didn't tell me I couldn't-"

"Your orgasms are mine, or did I not make myself clear the first time? It should be obvious you don't get to come even if I don't explicitly state you cannot." Emma grabbed Regina by the upper arm and tossed her roughly onto the bed on her stomach. She snatched the riding crop from where it was waiting eagerly to be used on the night stand. The leather of the riding crop crinkled in her tight grip. She didn't give Regina a chance to prepare herself this time. Ten lashes went flying onto her behind like lightening. Regina groaned and moaned with each one, so sensitive from her orgasm that she came again at the end, burying her head into the sheets shamefully. As if that could hide the fact of her orgasm.

"Did you just cum again?" Emma hissed, crawling on top of her and straddling her hips as she pulled Regina's head up by the back of her hair roughly. "What did I say about cumming?"

"Th-that my orgasms are yours," the mayor managed to get out, still panting from the exhilarating high of pain and pleasure.

"And how can I trust you to not cum, when even when I punish you you still have the audacity to orgasm? What am I to do with you? Hm?" she said none too kindly as she leaned close enough to Regina's ear.

"I don't know, mistress. I only wish to please you."

"You don't seem to be doing a good job of that." Emma observed Regina for a moment, her plump lips, her lust blown eyes, and considered her own situation and came to a decision. "I know how to punish you. Lay down flat on your back and hold your legs and arms out." Emma got up and rummaged in her bag for some rope. It was made of silk so it wouldn't chafe Regina's skin. It wouldn't do well for the mayor to walk around with rope burn. "What color?" she showed the rope to Regina who was waiting eagerly.

"Green."

Emma had been hoping it would be. "I'm going to tie you up. And you're going to watch as I enjoy myself." Wrists are secured first followed by ankles. The hold was tight enough that Regina couldn't free herself but not loose enough for her to not feel the delicious pressure and feel of being lightly immobilized.

Emma settled herself onto Regina's lap, excited at the prospect of what she was going to do. She didn't do this often, touch herself in front of her clients, but she wanted to do so in front of Regina. Wanted and needed to ease this tension inside of her that had been stoked by Regina's mere presence. Slowly she licked one finger and then two, eyes never leaving those of Regina's. "See, this is what you could be doing to me," she said as two fingers slipped under her costume, touching the moisture there. She bit back a groan at finally being able to touch herself. The thought of Regina watching, only made a new gush of wetness come down. "But because you didn't listen, you don't get to do this."

Regina let out an unhappy whimper, eyes intense on every little motion of Emma's. Emma began to move her fingers faster, rubbing her clit, thrusting in and out. Her hips pressed down so she could ride her hand harder and she knew she was hitting on Regina's pelvis in an erotic enough manner because the mayor was squirming under her, hands straining to touch.

"Mistress, please," she begged, eyes half lidded with desire.

"No," Emma groaned out, head dipping back. "You don't get to enjoy this. You don't get to touch me. But, would you like a taste?"

Regina eagerly nodded her head and Emma held out her dripping hand to her, lips just shy of them when she snatched her hand back. "No, I don't think you deserve that either."

Regina let out a frustrated moan. "You're being cruel, mistress."

"You haven't met cruel yet. What's cruel is keeping you on edge, denying your orgasm for four hours straight while I pleasure myself relentlessly in front of you. Do you want that?"

Regina shook her head no.

"Good, then shut up." Emma was so close, she could feel it behind her eyes. With one more expert twist, with the vision of Regina's sheer desire for her printed on her face, she came. Immediately she felt better, head clearer. She humped down with completion onto Regina's hips which were now wet from Emma's desire.

With lethargic eyes she raked in Regina's form and most importantly the glistening wetness of her reawakened arousal. She swiped a finger through the sensitive area, Regina jerking in want. "I see my pet is in need again, and what sort of mistress would I be if I didn't take care of this little issue for you?"

Emma could deny Regina orgasms, but she did have to service her. And their time was drawing near. Emma wanted to see her come one more time. Or maybe ten more times.

She moved down so she could situate herself accordingly to Regina's body. She glided her fingers over Regina's slit, gathering up moisture, teasing her clit. "Tell me how you want it pet. And be explicit. I love hearing dirty words coming from your filthy little mouth."

"I want your fingers inside me," Regina started, chest heaving in exhales and inhales as excitement bubbled in her.

"How many?"

"Three-eh!" Regina squeaked out when Emma entered her without warning.

"And then what?"

"Rough. I want it rough." Long sentences were getting hard to construct.

"Do you want me to pound into you? Want me to make you so sore and thoroughly fucked between your legs that you won't be able to sit down for a week?"

Regina nodded her head with a whimper, lips tight and eyes closed as Emma began to be more forceful. One hand gripped Regina's hips until marks began to form and the other pounded away into her, thumb circling angrily over her clit. Building up Regina and breaking her down was such a beautiful sight. Emma wished she could have it conscripted to her memory forever. She ignored the renewed burn between her own legs and focused on the one between Regina's.

She was writhing in pleasure now, teeth bared. "B-bite me before I come."

"Where is my please?"

"Please, mistress. Hurry," she hissed out. And Emma leaned in and bit down hard enough on her lip to reopen her previous wound. Regina shuddered into an orgasm, crying out into Emma's mouth.

"Good girl," Emma praised, licking into Regina's mouth, wiping the fresh drops of blood away. "I think you came beautifully. I think that deserves another orgasm." This time Emma alternated between thrusting in five times before retreating her fingers and slapping Regina's cunt. It wasn't long before Regina was panting and moaning in pleasure again, and she came on the fifth slap, drenching Emma's whole palm.

"Oh god," she muttered out as she watched Emma lap up the sticky fluid diligently. She felt light headed and like she was tingling all over, most of it stemming from her core.

"I prefer the name mistress," Emma playfully said though she could not make her voice light because it was heavy with desire. She wanted to get herself off again, but she couldn't. It would have to wait.

For she wasn't done with Regina. Hand clean, she let it delve right back into the heat of things, having Regina rocking into it, hips chasing after limber fingers. Her arms and legs strained to bring Emma closer to her, to wrap her in and let them become one, but she couldn't. "Come for me, pet." And Regina did, tossing her head back and silently screaming as she wet Emma's hand once more. A pleasant ache settled between her legs and she'd sweat through her white shirt in certain areas, see through patches appearing. She was exhausted.

Emma could sense that. She diligently untied Regina's hand and legs and the woman let out a sigh of relief. "How are you feeling?" Emma asked as Regina raked a shaking hand through her hair.

"Thoroughly fucked," she said, voice raspy and eyes avoiding Emma's face.

She was closing up again, Emma could see that. But she needed to see to Regina's aftercare. Today had been rougher than last time. "Do you need anything? Water? Food? A towel."

"You can leave. I'll be fine." Her voice was stern, arm thrown casually over her eyes as if to hide from Emma.

"But the aftercare-"

"I said I don't need it." Now there was a harsh edge to her voice.

 _Fine, bitch._ Emma thought. "I'll be on my way then." She left the bedroom.

Emma was sensitive between her legs, a throb begging her for attention. Could she pull a quick one in Regina's bathroom? No, that would awkward if the woman walked in. Emma would just have to stiffly put on her clothes and hope she could make it until she went home. Dejectedly, Emma got undressed and packed up her things, Regina once more no where to be found after the deed had been done.

Emma tried and failed not to be disappointed.

* * *

"New customer?" Emma inquired as Ruby strode back from her performance room, tired but happy grin on her face.

"Yea, and she's cute." Ruby did both men and women as her clients. She'd come across some lookers in her time and Emma always reminded her to not get attached to them. A dom too attached was bad for business because she could scare clients away or worse yet become too unreliable and stop working because of her feelings.

"Don't get too close to her. Don't fall in love with her either." Oh, the irony of that when Emma herself felt too close to Regina, too out of control around her.

Ruby huffed out and rolled her eyes. "I won't," but this wasn't said in a serious tone.

"Rubes, I'm serious," Emma chided as she put her gear away. "You could get kicked off the roster."

Ruby only grimly smiled back. "You honestly think I can fall in love in one session. Besides I don't know if she'll come back. She was really into the stuff we did, but she looked so heartbroken at her own needs after it was all done that I don't think she'll come back."

"Who was she?" It sounded like she was a younger girl. Typically older folk knew what they liked and were more open about their wants because of just not giving a fuck once they reached a certain age.

"Belle."

Emma's eyes bulge out comically. "Belle? Belle French?"

"Yea. How do you know her name?" Ruby asked with too much interest in her voice for this to be casual.

Holy shit, Emma's friend was here. Oh god, that means she knows Emma's on the work list. Things are going to be so awkward now. How will they ever maintain eye contact? "I uh, passed on her as a client."

Ruby arches a brow at Emma's stutter but doesn't say more. Emma hurries up with her dressing and then heads home, waving a hasty goodbye at Ruby before going out into the wet weather outside.

And again that night when she came back home, she rubbed one out to the recollection of Regina cumming.


	3. Chapter 3

**Adrenlize Me**

* * *

 _I_ ' _ll have you down on your knees_  
 _I'll have you begging for more_

 _I can be your whore  
I am the dirt you created_

 _-In this Moment-_

* * *

 **A/N: At this point I might as well make this a series.**

"Swan!" Killian roars out, upset. "What is the meaning of this?" he shakes the paper denoting the termination of their arrangement in her face. She wrinkles her nose up, crosses her arms over her chest.

"I'm ending things with you." Voice calm, reasonable.

"The hell you are! Why?" He seethes, bristling on all his edges. His cries echo around the unused playroom they usually spend hours together in. But not today, or ever again for the foreseeable future.

"Because you think we," at this she indicated between them, "are something. And we're not. You can't control me, you can't get upset at my job."

"Oh, don't tell me you don't feel it. I can see the lust you have for me in your eyes. You want something more with me, admit it." He tries to reach out and touch her; she jerks back.

"You're delusional."

"And also not welcome here," Ursula drops by, cig in his hand, arms crossed over his chest. "Leave before I call the cops on your ass."

"This isn't right!" Killian snarls out, and he begins to look cornered.

"What isn't right is you harassing one of my workers. But if you want to see right, I'll give you a right hook you won't forget." There is a growl to Ursula's voice that drives the reality of the situation home. Killian's shoulders slump.

"But-but I care for you, Swan." That's her performance name. They never use their real names.

"You forget where the lines blur between play and real life. Whatever you may think I feel for you, is only something during play. It doesn't mean I care for you outside of my job." Her words are harsh but they need to be. He was getting controlling of her, telling her she couldn't do her job, that she should quit it and come live with him. That he loved her and wanted to have her.

She can't have this. She can't have a sub gone rogue.

His lips thin but he says nothing more, eyes dark with rage. He leaves, shoving past Ursula rudely. The drag queen scoffs and releases a plume of peach scented smoke. "I always knew he was a slimy git of a man."

"He wasn't all that bad. He just had delusions," Emma defended because they had had some good play sessions and Emma enjoys dominating a lot and he had been perfectly simpering and weak for her. And he took whatever pain she lashed out. She didn't have to hold back with him like she did with others. She gives the room around her a sad look and mourns the loss of hearing the slap of her leather on his pale flesh, or the snap of her whip as he's strung up, rattling the chains. But the room won't be empty for long. She has many who eagerly await to fill it.

"Yea, the bad part is you lost a regular."

Emma shrugs. "I have more."

"And it looks like mayor Mills may be becoming one too."

Emma sucks in a breath at this, not silent enough that Ursula doesn't notice. He lifts his lips up in an intrigued smile. Emma tries to play it off as the smoke's fault but she's nowhere close enough to inhale it.

"She's asking for a third session?" Each time Emma thinks the woman won't return given her reactions at the end, and each time Emma hopes she will.

Ursula nods his head. "Yes. Do you want to do it?"

"Do I have a choice? I have to do my ten sessions with her before I can even consider passing on the torch."

"Yes, you do. But if it's really hard, I can change it for you, Swan. You're my top girl." Ursula's voice softens at this. He holds affection for her, for all his girls really. That's the good thing about him as a boss. He cares for his workers.

Emma thinks it over, but there is little logic guiding her actions. She shakes her head at the end. "I told you, I'm fine. And the mayor deserves the best, doesn't she?" she winks and Ursula laughs but he worries for Emma because he knows her history. And history has a way of repeating itself.

* * *

The third session begins as usual. Emma urged into the house, being offered a drink before she enters the bedroom. Except this time: "I want to open your eyes to something new, if you will let me."

"Such as?" Regina arches her brows and Emma curls her fingers invitingly and Regina follows after her to the kitchen, intrigued.

Emma stops in front of the fridge, humming quietly. "Have you ever played with ice?"

"No." Regina's tone is neutral and her face is still that of a politician's- disinterested. But Emma knows how to read body language. She has to- it's part of her job requirement. And the way that Regina casually- too casually, attempts to prop her hands on her hips, clues Emma in that Regina is somewhat open to the idea. So Emma continues.

"It's actually a really nice experience. The contrast of chill on heated skin, the shiver of cold that stimulates our senses; heightens it, something that is especially intense when being blindfolded. You don't know when I would touch you, or with what, and how, and you're trembling with anticipation. Your touch super sensitive to the lightest breath ghosting over the shell of your ear. To my finger gently gliding over your clit. Each feeling magnified-everything ten times more pleasurable." Emma drops her voice, let's her words become filthy enticing whispers to get Regina intrigued. The mayor's eyes have darkened and she licked her lips unconsciously. "Not to mention, you're completely powerless. Tied up and blindfolded and entirely reliant on me. I can do anything to you."

It's something Emma has been thinking about for some time now ever since Regina set up a third session. She wants Regina even more at her mercy, wants to take as many firsts of hers in BDSM as she can. It's a possessive need, a dangerous need, but Emma argues it's not for herself but for the sake of the job, for giving Regina the best experience possible.

Regina shudders at this. Emma knows she's got her. "Would you like to try sensory deprivation?"

Regina twists her lips up; tries and fails to hide her budding arousal. "I suppose. But not in the kitchen. I eat here." Her voice wavers as she speaks.

Emma nods her head. "Right." Her stomach is bubbling with nerves, excited that Regina has agreed to this experiment and she tries to not let it show. She opens the state of the art fridge door, cracks a couple of ice cubs into a glass with Regina intently watching her work the whole time, and then the two of them go back upstairs. They separate at the top, Emma hurrying to quickly put on her black leather outfit, one that is a sleeveless cat suit with the front unzipped all the way to her belly button and exposing half of her breasts and all of her abdomen. Emma only has time to slip on heels, not bothering with makeup other than a quick swipe of purple lipstick.

She finds Regina in her bedroom, pacing restlessly. Perhaps Emma has worked the mayor up with her prior descriptions and it's something Emma finds she enjoys. Knowing the full extent of her power on the woman. Regina stops when she sees Emma, drinks her in with her eyes as she finishes off her drink.

"Drink?" she croaks out in offer but Emma sets her own glass of ice down, knowing she needs to work quickly if she doesn't want them to melt. "Take your clothes off but leave your underwear on," she instructs briskly and Regina does so while on the edge of the bed. Emma shifts through her bag to get her blindfold and hand cuffs. This is going to be good, watching Regina be helpless more so than usual, even more stripped of her power. Goosebumps prickle up Emma's arms in anticipation.

Regina is swift in taking off and folding her clothes on her chaise. She scoots to the middle of the bed, compliant and malleable. Emma cuffs her to the bed and then slides the smooth silk of her burgundy blindfold on.

"How does that feel?" she whispers into Regina's ear and watches her shiver at that.

"Good," is her slightly breathless response.

Emma settles down over Regina's waist, holding herself up just enough that Regina can feel the heat of her body, but not the physical nature of it. Using her finger tips she trails light touches down Regina's neck, her collarbone, the swells of her breasts, the mayor inhaling a sharp intake of air because of Emma's unexpected touch.

Emma continues her motions, noticing in satisfaction that Regina's hips wiggle under her and her nipples have gotten hard. There is silence in the room, so silent, that Emma can hear her and Regina's hearts beating quickly in unison. Can hear their breaths mingling. So she speaks to break the silence that is growing all too comfortable for her tastes.

"What color are we on?" she asks.

"Green."

"And your safe word?"

"Apple."

Emma wonders why that word, but she doesn't ask even though she wishes she could. She brushes her lips against Regina's, shocking the woman who lets out a gasp. Emma stifles down the chuckle of amusement at that and continues to place hot open mouthed kisses on Regina's body, sucking lightly on certain spots so as not to leave marks. Her nipples are dark and cut through the air. Emma smiles in appreciation and rolls one between her fingers, eliciting a loud cry from Regina whose hips buck up to try and meet Emma's. Emma keeps out of reach.

"Tell me, how does that feel?" Emma asks, though she fully knows the answer. She just wants to hear the words fall from Regina's mouth. With her free hand Emma picks up the glass of ice she settled by the bed.

"It's..." Regina frowns as she searches for words, as her concentration wanes on how roughly Emma is pulling on her nipple, how her tongue laves a path down to her belly button. "It's...like I can feel you even more intensely than before. Your heat, your scent, your touch." She bites down on her lip to stifle down a moan as Emma's mouth and tongue come close to sucking up her other nipple into their wet hold.

Emma's fingers close on a cube and without warning she places it right on that lonely turgid peak. Regina's whole body jerks up in reaction to that cold as a hiss leaves her painted lips. Emma chuckles again as Regina curses. "Fuck, that is cold."

"I believe ice is," Emma comments smugly and drags the cube around the clavicle, the belly, even up Regina's neck and arms until it is nothing but water. So she pulls out another one and another one, raising goosebumps on Regina's skin as the mayor reacts every time to the cold. Emma soothes the cold by lapping up the water trails with her tongue and Regina moans and writhes under her, her head tossing from side to side as if she can somehow toss off the blindfold and see what Emma is doing.

Emma lets the ice cube run it's course before it melts entirely before she shimmies down Regina's underwear, noting with delight how ready she is. Even though Regina knows she's exposed, she doesn't expect the teasing finger that Emma swipes through her wetness. "Oh," she moans out, biting down on her bottom lip. Emma sucks up that image, that sound and pulls her finger to lick it clean, making sure she does it loudly enough that Regina hears. She does, rubbing her thighs together and Emma pries them apart, tsking. "Keep you legs open. I want to see you."

Regina complies. Then Emma takes another cube, this one still fresh and cold, and with a mischievous grin, sticks it right into Regina's pussy without preamble. The squeal the mayor makes at that is delightful as her body strains at the handcuffs holding her down.

 _This is going to be fun,_ Emma thinks gleefully before she inserts another ice cube there too that has Regina howling and rattling her cuffs.

"Ah fuck! Fuck!" she screeches out.

"Do you want to stop?" Emma asks but Regina stubbornly shakes her head, as Emma counted her to.

"No."

Emma chuckles. Is there anything the mayor won't do with Emma? Only time will tell.

"Good girl," Emma praises, slides the last ice cube into her mouth and then kisses Regina with ice cold lips and tongue. The woman only winces slightly at the cold before kissing hard enough to bruise.

* * *

The fourth session has barely started before they are rudely interrupted.

Emma's knuckles deep in Regina, fucking her from behind on the bed, when the door opens downstairs and a loud voice bellows, "Regina? Are you home?"

Both women freeze, eyes going wide. Emma knows the mayor is engaged. It's nothing new-politicians cheating on their spouses. But neither of them had been expecting him home.

"Quick, the closet," Regina husks as they hear his footsteps coming up the stairs.

Regina's closet is huge, a walk in, naturally. And it leaves more than enough space for them to hide there. They keep it open a crack so they hear in on Robin's progress. They both hold their breaths as he enters her room thankfully paying no mind to Emma's black nondescript duffel bag which contains questionable items. "Regina? Are you here? Your car is here. Work let out early and I thought we could get dinner out on town maybe."

He seems like a great guy from what Emma has read and has seen now. She wonders why Regina would cheat on him. Maybe there were some skeletons in the closet? (For sure there are some gays in the closet right now, Emma thinks dryly.) Emma wishes she could ask but she can't. She has no right to know. Regina is eyeing him with something like hurt and guilt and Emma doesn't like that look on her. So she does something to fix it. She pins Regina to the wall by the door and shoves her fingers right in, other hand coming up to play with a nipple. Regina gasps out and Emma hisses in her ear, "keep quiet unless you want him to hear us."

Regina nods her head and clenches her lips tightly shut as Emma thrusts into her harshly, hard enough to hurt, hard enough to drive Regina's thoughts of Robin away. Her nails bite into Emma's shoulders and she trembles with pleasure.

"Guess she's not here," Robin mutters to himself in disappointment and rushes out, digging his phone out to call her. Regina can't be happier that she has her phone on silent otherwise he would see it was in her room and he would think to look back, to check in the closet.

Regina cums over Emma's hands just as the door to her mansion slams closed with Robin's departure. She sags with relief.

For some reason, Emma is now the one filled with guilt.

* * *

For the fifth session, Regina surprises Emma. She's in the town car when Emma comes in and Emma is momentarily speechless by this.

"Get in, you're letting the cold air in," is Regina's hiss of complaint and Emma gets in, sitting across from the mayor. She drums her hands on her thighs as the car goes off, them driving in silence for a good five minutes. Are they going some place else to do this? "So, uh, this is new," she comments uncertainly, feeling momentarily lost.

Regina appraises her before her eyes snap up from where they had been steadily on Emma's barely covered breasts to her face. "Shut up and fuck me." And when Regina says it like that, how can Emma resist her.

She still tries, though, only because of the NDA.

"Here? In the car? Are you sure it's private-"

"It's fine, the divider also works as a silencer. I don't want to risk Robin nearly walking in on us again. The driver has been instructed not to bother us unless I text him to stop the car." Regina explains this all hurriedly while stripping off her jacket and blazer like she can't possibly wait a moment more.

"Uh, how am I going to dress up?" she needs her armor when dealing with Regina. Not wearing it...that leaves her vulnerable and susceptible to disgusting feelings that ruin her.

"No time. A good dominatrix doesn't need her clothes to dominate."

Her words serve to tick Emma off which was probably their goal. "Get rid of your pants and get on your knees on the seat," Emma growls out, incensed. They don't have much space but Emma's going to make this work if only for her reputation and to prove herself.

"If you're going to mouth off to me like a bitch than I'm going to fuck you like a bitch." Emma's tone is a menacing growl and a shiver runs through the brunette as she does as asked. Emma digs out a strap on from her bag. "Green?" she asks and when Regina sees Emma slipping her still clothed legs into it, she licks her lips.

"Yes," is her hoarse answer. "Extremely fucking green."

With it in place, Emma teasingly presses it against Regina's clothed center. There's already a wet spot there. Someone was excited. She slipped her fingers underneath and began to ready her for the strap on. It's a hefty size and Emma doesn't want it to hurt when it goes in.

"Is this what you're spending tax payer dollars on? On renting out cars so you can get fucked in them?" Emma hmms as she rubs her fingers against Regina harder. "Is that what gets you off?" she peels Regina's underwear off and slaps her cunt, prompting her into an answer.

"Yes, mistress." A hiss turning into a moan.

"Are you throbbing for my cock?"

Regina nods her head as another slap lands on her. Emma's hand is dripping wet now.

"Yes," Regina hisses out.

"Are you going to take all of it like a good pet?"

"Yes," Regina hisses once more and gripping her waist, Emma enters her to the hilt. It's not Emma's first time fucking in a car, and she is all too aware of how hard it is with the limited space. And it's even harder because it's moving and it interrupts the rocking of their motions, making Emma's thrusts too shallow. She'll never get Regina off like this in time.

She pulls out, toy glistening with wetness. "We're going to move positions," she announces when Regina whimpers at the sudden emptiness. They scramble around and rearrange themselves and now Emma is on her back, Regina clambering on top of her. She sits down on the strap on, eyes fluttering in pleasure as she takes it all in. Emma begins to rock her hips into Regina's as the brunette haired woman rocks into her. Her moans begin to get louder and Emma, paranoid, shoves Regina's discarded panties into her mouth. They serve to muffle her cries but she's still loud and Emma sweats in worry that the driver might hear them. She wants to speed things up, so she unbuttons Regina's shirt, frees her of it's confinement and then rips her bra off. She takes a nipple into her mouth, other toyed with by her fingers. She's rough, pinching and biting and Regina shudders on top of her before she stills, cumming with her eyes closed and exhaling heavily through her nose. She slumps a little bit forward, and Emma cups her flushed cheek. "Good girl," her tone is soft, thumb stroking her cheek even softer.

Too late she realizes the gesture could be too out of character but her brain is fuzzy with the smell of sex permeating the car and the warmth that has fogged up their windows.

But Regina doesn't comment on that. She takes the gag out of her mouth. "God, this car is so fucking small," she complains angrily as her hips rock into Emma again. It's clear she wants to do more but they don't have the space for it. Emma stupidly blurts out a suggestion because she's sex drunk off of Regina and she doesn't want this to end just yet.

"We can go to my place. No one would think to look for you there."

To come off as more convincing, she pumps her hips into Regina's, rubbing against that patch of skin inside that drives Regina crazy. It chokes her up as her thighs tighten to suck Emma in deeper. "Y-yes. Let's go."

In a rush she alerts her driver of the new destination. Emma's place isn't anything nice and it's not exactly in a savory part of the neighborhood but she hates doing a bad job for her clients. She hopes Regina won't mind. They dress up, get ready to leave. To keep the mood going, Emma rubs little circles on Regina's inner thighs and whispers filthy things into her ears from her spot next to her. "I'm going to fuck you so hard, you'll only be able to call out my name. No one will fuck you like I will. Everyone after me will seem boring and inadequate. Whenever you'll lay in bed with your fiance you'll be thinking of me, thinking how I could be fucking you better. How hard I could make you cum."

Regina's thighs rub together and her hands claw into the leather of her seat as her eyes drop closed. Her lips part as she imagines what Emma is whispering to her and the blonde has a feeling that perhaps Regina does really think of her when she's with Robin given her intense reaction. She's on the edge of her seat literally and Emma wouldn't be surprised if the mayor got up and there was a wet spot on the seat after her.

"You're the devil," she groans out as she tries to control her body's reaction. "How much longer is it to your place?"

Emma grins at the effect she has on Regina. "Soon," she assures and presses a kiss under Regina's jaw that has her shuddering. The car pulls up after an eternity later and they both rush out to Emma's apartment, Regina pulling on a pair of shades and hunching herself down so no one will recognize it's her. Emma's hands shake on her keys. She's never brought a client back here and she doesn't know why she's breaking all these rules for Regina. For Regina, who doesn't even treat her nicely.

As soon as the door opens, Regina pulls Emma towards her and kisses her hard against the wood of the door. Emma is surprised by this bold move. She's going to have to reprimand her pet later, but for now she enjoys the senseless assault. Regina is desperate, needy hands digging through Emma's hair, running down her sides.

"Fuck me. _Break me_. Please, mistress _,_ " Regina begs as she licks a path up and down Emma's neck, an edge of teeth to her desperate touch.

Emma is made light headed with want. Regina has no idea how happily Emma will comply with her wishes. Her body throbs in response and she takes a shaking breath. She needs her armor. Needs it, but Regina wants it now. To make her wait now would ruin the intensity of the orgasms that Emma knows she can coax out of her with minimum effort.

"Get on the bed, pet, and spread your legs," Emma instructs and digs out her strap on once again along with some handcuffs. Regina hurriedly throws off her clothing and instead of leaving it in neat piles, it's all over the place. She _really_ needs this. Emma quickly takes off her pants which are still wet in the front where Regina came on her, and slips more comfortably into her harness. Hands are cuffed to the bed posts before Emma kisses a delicate path down from Regina's neck and to her belly button, muscles quivering and twisting with want, with excitement. "Mistress, please," Regina begs and her voice almost breaks as Emma brushes the head of the toy against her need.

"I like the way you beg, pet, but I think you can beg even more nicely if you really want this, this badly."

"Mistress, noooo," Regina whines, not wanting to be teased right now. But how can Emma resist when she looks so splendid like this, all bared with wanting. This is only the first time that Emma has seen her in her skin, previous times always lending to her being half dressed, or undressing; never spread out all naked and bared like this. Her skin is glorious, a caramel color that reminds Emma of melted candy, and she has curves that would make a circle jealous.

"All I hear is complaining," Emma tsked as she leaned down and laved a nipple that was rock hard into her mouth as she rubbed the tip of the toy where it was needed.

"Mistress, please, fuck me. Take me. Do what you will," Regina gasped out, trying to buck against Emma but failing to get any relief.

"Since you asked so nicely. I'll fuck you until you can't cum anymore," Emma chuckled deeply and rammed without warning right into Regina who gasped out loudly at the sensation. "Fuck," she spit out when Emma pulled all the way out and rammed back in with full force of her body. This was better. Emma had more space here. She could drive Regina up to fever pitch.

As they rocked, the bed did with them and Emma wished she had a better bed. She really didn't want it falling apart. And she felt bad for her neighbors. Regina was really loud. Emma covered her mouth with one hand as her moans crescendo-ed.

It only took ten thrusts for Regina to come, but Emma didn't stop there. She kept powering on, making Regina rise quickly, drawing out her first orgasm into another one, and another one until the woman's legs had wrapped around the small of her back and she was drawing Emma even closer into her. Their bodies were slick with sweat and Emma quickly shed her flannel top and tank top so she could have some respite from the fire that formed between them, from the passion that consumed them both.

It was only on Regina's fifth orgasm in a row that Emma pulled out because it was time to do something new. Regina wanted Emma to break her and she would. Regina would be walking funny for a week after she would be done with her.

"Have you ever done fisting before?" Emma asks, a bit breathless from exertion. Sweat prickles at the back of her neck and she hastily ties her hair up before relaxing Regina's hands from the cuffs. She doesn't want to leave marks on her wrists.

"Fisting?" Regina pants out, eyes hazy and sex heavy body sinking into the sheets.

"Where I shove my whole fist into you. You've been stretched out enough for me to do it now."

"Do it," Regina insists without pause, legs already spreading.

"Good girl," Emma praises, pleased and so aroused that Regina is actually sincere in how she wants Emma to do as she wishes to her. She's so doused in pleasure and gone in her own post multiple delirium that she won't say no to anything right now, but Emma knows to be careful with her, knows better.

She spreads Regina's wetness with her palm, makes sure the area is nice and lubricated, that Emma's hand is nice and lubricated. Three fingers go in easily and the fourth is no stretch. The hardest part will be the thumb and the rest of the hand.

"Tell me if it hurts," Emma says and Regina nods her head, tossing her head back as Emma takes her time and slips her thumb in and then with a soft pop she is inside. It's so warm inside Regina. Warm and comforting and Emma slowly rotates her wrist, feeling more intimately connected to Regina than she had before, more connected than she had with anyone else before.

Regina's eyes flutter open and shut and she's losing the battle to keep them open long enough, so Emma crawls up her body, kisses her lightly on her lips and continues to carefully rotate her wrist and Regina writhes under her, nails raking into Emma's back, nails turning painful as her body shudders, breaking. She squeezes tightly on Emma's hand and Emma momentarily worries she might lose her hand but she continues pumping to give Regina the most out of this orgasm.

Emma knows this is the last she can pull from Regina's body. The mayor is too tired for more. So she twists her wrist and feels the sucking of Regina's walls as she milks the most out of her last orgasm.

This time Regina is slow to recover, arm thrown over her eyes as if to block out the image of what she has done. But she'll have a harder time ignoring how her body aches afterwards. Emma doesn't even bother to ask about the after care. She knows Regina will say no, so she carefully pulls her hand out gradually, dragging small whimpers from the mayor's body at the sensation before Emma gathers their clothes, folds them up neatly, and then goes to shower.

She takes a moment to release the tension that has built up in her body, coming embarrassingly quick and as quietly as she can in cause Regina hasn't left yet. But when she comes out of the bathroom, Regina is still in her bed, and she's fallen asleep, given the gentle rising of her chest.

Emma stares at her, something squeezing her heart, and she takes out a blanket to cover her with. She goes downstairs and watches TV quietly while trying not to freak out about how she fucking brought a client home. Shit, that was such a bad idea. She shouldn't have done that, but how could she resist fucking Regina? She couldn't.

Her thoughts torment her and she closes her eyes to avoid them, drifting off while awkwardly slumped on the couch. She awakens hours later to someone stumbling out of her room. It's Regina, with her hair messy and her pumps in one hand. Her clothes are rumpled on her and she looks so disoriented.

"What time is it?" she croaks out, voice hoarse and Emma shrugs. "I don't know. I just woke up." She quickly glances at her clock. "Two am."

"Two am!" Regina grunts out, rubbing her face. "Why didn't you wake me up. Robin's going to kill me!"

"You needed the rest. Your body went through a lot."

"Your bed is terrible. I don't know how to sleep on it," Regina sniffs as she bends down to put her shoes on. Her movements are lethargic like she's drunk. Emma takes this moment to appreciate her ass before her comment registers with her mind.

"It's not that bad. It gets the job done."

Regina grumbles but doesn't comment on that further. "Where's the bathroom. I have to make myself look presentable."

"Don't wanna come home looking and smelling freshly fucked?" Emma prods her cheek with her tongue, unable to resist rubbing this in. She takes pride in a job well done.

Regina shoots her a glare but there is a red tint to her cheeks.

"Down the hall," Emma adds and Regina hurries off there.

Emma waffles on whether she should walk Regina out or ignore her like she has so many times before. As she decides the tap runs in the bathroom and it is only ten minutes later that Regina comes out, somehow looking put together like this whole evening hadn't occurred.

"Have a good night, Regina," Emma says as she holds the door open for the woman.

Regina eyes her oddly. "It's mayor Mills," she hisses and then walks out into the cold dark. Dejectedly, Emma slams the door shut after her. She doesn't know why she would have expected Regina to act differently. It didn't seem like the woman ever would.

This time, Emma's fantasies are even stronger because her sheets smell like her and Regina's mixed desires and clutching onto them, face buried deep, Emma touches herself and cums and cums. She won't ever be able to look at her bed the same way.


	4. Chapter 4

**Adrenlize Me**

* * *

 _Love bites and so do I_

 _-Halestorm-_

* * *

"Swan!" Neal greets and Emma jerks the door open, hugging him deeply as she pulls him into her apartment. He's got takeout with him, judging by the poignant smell of it hanging in the air, stronger than his cheap cologne, and Belle behind him holds the board games for their friendly Friday night match. Neal and Emma finish the hug, he ducking into the apartment and leaving Emma and Belle awkwardly standing there. Emma offers her a timid smile because of the fact that she knows Belle went to Ursula's place for a kink service and also because Belle now knows Emma works there. Emma has never been open about her job, citing she works for a bounty hunting firm- technically not a lie since she used to a couple years ago before finding a more lucrative and safer job field.

"Hi Belle," Emma breathes out and is happy to see her own discomfit mirrored in her friend's eyes. So she's not the only one who feels awkward. If Belle feels this way than hopefully they can avoid ever bringing this topic up.

"Hi Emma," Bella says, blushing and comes inside, dragging her gaze downwards. Emma sighs, and prays to the stars above that Belle won't inadvertently blurt something out after having a beer too many. Then she closes the door, and game night begins this way.

They spend a good three hours sharing the Chinese take out, cracking open beers, and playing games. Soon enough Emma's unease melts away with laughter and the warm glow alcohol gives her. Before she knows it they have to leave and she helps them pack up. She loves seeing her friends. It's too many nights that she spends alone in her apartment.

But as Neal packs up, Belle begins to dawdle. Neal notices. "What's wrong Belle?"

"I was, uh, hoping to stay behind and talk to Emma about something," she says timidly, rubbing her hands.

Emma had a feeling she knew what it was and she gave a watery smile, hoping to come off as casual. "Sure, that's okay with me."

She's already expecting the judgement in Belle's eyes.

"Okay, go for it," Neal says.

Belle blinks at him, biting her lower lip. "Alone."

Neal blinks several times before he understands. "Oh, okay. I'll see you tomorrow than, Belle. Get back home safe." He waves them both a good bye and Emma swivels on her heel as soon as the door closes and busies herself with throwing out the beer bottles. Uncomfortable silence drags on.

"Uh, Emma..." Belle softly starts and Emma heaves out a sigh. She might as well get it over with. She begins her spiel, the one she has mentally prepared for a moment like this.

"Look, I know I lied about my job, but I had to. It's not exactly something you can openly advertise to people and I won't be shamed for it. I happen to be really good at my job and it's giving me enough money to live on and-"

"I wasn't going to say anything negative or even question why you worked there," Belle softly cut in, eyes averted to the floor. Her cheeks were red with color. "I-I-um...I was wondering if I could talk to you about...you know. More of the dom/sub thing."

"Oh," Emma's mouth makes a funny shape. She hadn't been expecting this. "Are you interested in doing more?"

"Yes, but I'm worried...worried about if I should be even doing this," Belle self consciously rubs her upper arm.

Emma feels sympathy for the girl. "Don't worry. There's nothing wrong with wanting someone else to take control of your life for you." She moves to the couch, pats the space next to her invitingly. "Come. Sit down. And don't be shy. I don't bite," Emma flashes a teasing smile. "Not unless you want me too."

Belle flushes at that but she laughs, visibly easing up. "Thanks Emma." And then sits down for their talk.

* * *

Apparently, now that they've fucked once in Emma's apartment, Regina keeps coming over, citing she won't be bothered here and that it's more private. The added monetary bonus the mayor provides as compensation for using Emma's space is nice, so Emma won't complain for now.

She can't, not when each time afterwards she can get herself off so hard to the remains of their fucking that she sees stars. But this playing in Emma's house changes the dynamic between them once more and in unforeseeable ways that Emma hates to dwell on.

It's barely after their first session (the fifth session in general) in her house that her door rings and she opens it to find a delivery man on the other side with a huge ass package. "Emma Swan?" he asks and she nods her head dumbly yes.

"Sign these," he hands her his clipboard.

"What for?" She's still in her pjs, just having gotten up, and her brain is sleep heavy.

"Your new mattress and comforter set."

"I didn't order any," she frowned. She already had a perfectly good bed and sheets.

"This is a gift. Someone ordered it for you." But who could have done that for her? She signs the forms and he leaves so she can drag her stuff into her house. She unpacks the comforter set and a sheet of paper falls out.

 _Your bed truly is horrid. If we are to be using it, it's going to need to be of higher quality._

The script is elegant, the note unsigned, but Emma knows to who it belongs to. Regina. Regina sent her a whole new ass mattress and Egyptian cotton sheets. Whelp, she couldn't get mad about that.

And that wasn't the first or last gift Regina sent.

Here, in Emma's house the mayor felt more comfortable. She actually stayed after, sometimes for a drink of water, sometimes to make small talk. Perhaps there was no danger of Robin intruding so she was more free. And maybe it was because she was fully embracing this side of her, these wants of hers, that she didn't feel the urge to throw Emma out. Hard to do in the first place, when this was Emma's place.

And because she stayed after, she began to demand better things. "This coffee pot is horrendous. It doesn't make good coffee."

And the day after that Emma had gotten a Hamilton Beach keurig to use, to brew Regina better drinks. And it wasn't after care that Regina stayed for, no, because she insisted she didn't need it but merely to rest herself and to fix her appearance. She would stay in Emma's place for an hour or two, typing away on her phone, or actually doing mayoral work on a laptop she brought over. Emma would find herself useless and not knowing what to do. She didn't want to kick the mayor out-firstly, that would be rude. Secondly, she enjoyed the mayor's presence even if she made half scathing remarks and declarations about something or another that bothered her about Emma or Emma's apartment.

Emma had learned to let the majority of those insults slide off of her, unable to always stop from snapping back at the mayor with sharp rejoinders. There was no point in getting riled up. She had a hunch that Regina liked to annoy her, for the mayor never truly seemed to get upset at Emma's comeback's, though for the life of her Emma couldn't figure out why the mayor enjoyed such a hobby.

"If you're going to groan and moan and be distracting, the least you can do is make yourself useful," Regina said as Emma huffed and puffed as she tried to get comfortable on her couch while watching the TV at zero volume because the mayor was on the other end of the couch and doing her work. Emma had to rely on subtitles, freaking subtitles to watch her show. Who even did that?

"I wasn't aware I was your errand boy. What, you want me to shine your shoes too while I'm out getting your coffee?"

"I'm glad you suggested that," Regina said with a barely imperceivable curl of her lip. "They were looking a bit scuffed up."

It took Emma a moment to realize the mayor was fucking with her. She let out a huff of air. "Seriously. You are something, you know that. If I bother you so much, then you are free to go. It's not like I hold you here." Emma was worried that on her words the mayor might actually go (Emma told herself it was good if Regina left because this sitting around after sex was not a good way to keep emotional distance), but surprisingly, she let out a short laugh.

"Your personality is terrible," Regina commented easily, still not looking up from her computer screen.

Now that hits something deep inside Emma, an insecurity that was born of being passed over and over again in the foster system. "Too bad you can't buy something like that for me," she snipes bitterly, touching on Regina's penchant for buying her things. Maybe the mayor will speak up on why she's doing that. Emma has usually been bought into passivity with the gifts but now she's angry. Is the mayor buying her out? Why all these gifts? Why buy her something and then be rude to her afterwards? It makes no sense. The mayor is a contradictory mess.

"Yes," Regina hums indifferently. "Good thing you know how to sell your body well, otherwise you'd have nothing to show for as a human being."

And _that_ , that, really ticks Emma off. She sees red. She lunges across the couch before she can think better of it, snatching the laptop out of Regina's hands and slapping it closed, before she places it on the coffee table and using her other hand grabs the collar of Regina's shirt and pulls harshly on it, enough to jerk Regina into her personal space. The woman sucks in a breath at the sudden intrusion.

"Yes, good thing," Emma mocks nastily. She hates people in higher positions looking down on her. She won't stand for it. She had honestly thought Regina would be different given how she passes laws in order to protect those who have little or nothing. But it was all an act. These politician types never cared.

"How dare you snatch my laptop from me! I was doing very important work-" Regina starts only to let out an oomph of air as Emma continues to roughly man handle her.

Emma pushed Regina down onto the couch using all of her body weight. She wants to retaliate, wants to hurt Regina like her words have hurt her, so she straddles her waist, and grabs both sides of Regina's shirt. She rips her no doubt expensive shirt right open, smiling in grim satisfaction when she hears the buttons rain onto the floor. "My shirt!" Regina exclaims. Her face looks up at Emma, not apologetic in the least; it charges Emma into wanting to do more.

"Oh yes, we have important work to do," Emma snarls, eyes darkening. "We have to work on that cruel tongue of yours, pet. On training you to be kind and obedient to your superiors. This is my apartment and there are rules you must follow here." Her hands grasp at Regina's wrists, pulling them over her head. She wished she had something to tie her up by. Regina makes a feeble attempt to struggle underneath her, anger burning in her eyes.

Oh, so Regina was going to be defiant today? That would not do. "And if you don't follow instructions, losing a shirt will be the least of your concerns," Emma promises and now something else blazes in Regina's eyes along with her anger. She attempts to free herself once more but really she's not trying. Emma let's go of her wrists, knowing that she won't run.

"Where do you get off on insulting me?" Emma hisses out, lowering her mouth and biting down hard on Regina's collarbone, hard enough to draw blood.

There is a sharp inhale from within the other woman's throat and hands circulate up to push at Emma she thinks- but instead, they stay there tentatively holding her. Emma looks up, her anger momentarily stymied, and sees Regina's eyes are half lidded in pleasure. Does she...does she get off on infuriating Emma?

Emma is intrigued and even though she fully knows they just had their session, that they finished it, she is compelled to go through with this. Because no matter how Regina pisses her off she just can't keep her hands from her. She moves her mouth down, still aggressively because the sting of Regina's barb has not left her. Teeth marks litter Regina's chest and when Emma pops her front clasp bra open, she bites down hard enough on Regina's nipple to draw tears to her eyes.

"Ah, fuck," Regina hisses out as her hips buck up, hands clawing into Emma's shoulder blades and dragging her closer.

"Do you get wet insulting me? Do you get a high knowing that you can get low class trash like me servicing your every perverted need?" Emma asked, combining the sting of her nails onto Regina's abdomen along with her bites that got lower and lower before her tongue lapped up the hurting bits of flesh. All the while Regina squirmed on the couch, chest heaving and eyes watering with pain.

"No mistress, that's not why-" she cuts herself on a little moan when Emma's hand pops open her trousers button and slips into wet panties.

"So this isn't from being rude to me? This isn't from riding that high horse of yours?" Emma asked cruelly while her fingers faux gently spread the wetness there around.

"N-no," Regina stammered out, hips gyrating, lips falling open in a moan.

"Then why?" Emma is getting intoxicated by Regina's reactions. She wants to drive her to the edge. She sits up a little so she can jerk Regina's pants down her legs, tossing them somewhere over her shoulder. Then she slipped her thigh in between the mayor's legs, rocking hard.

Regina rocks back, eyes slipping closed. That won't do. Emma slaps her lightly to get her eyes to open. "You will look at me. Is that clear?"

"Yes, mistress," Regina moans as she rocks harder. She's leaving a mark on Emma's jeans and these are her good pair. She can't get them dirty. She moves back a little so she can undo her own jeans. Regina props herself up on her elbows so she can see what Emma is doing. When she sees pale thighs exposed, she swallows deeply, eyes lidding greedily. Emma settles herself back over Regina, her heated center brushing against Regina's. Regina gasps loudly at that and it gives Emma a mischievous idea and she smiles as she brushes her center against Regina's teasingly.

The brunette's hands claw into the blonde's hips, hard enough to hurt. She's trying to bring her closer. Emma resists. "I think not," she tsks. "You haven't answered my question. Why do you insult me?"

Regina bites her lip at this, cheeks flushing. "It's-I can't answer that."

Emma's not expecting this. "Why not?" and this is genuine on her end, not part of the play they have fallen into.

"I-I-I don't want you to know," Regina stutters out, averting her eyes from Emma's figure. Emma doesn't like this. She jerks Regina's head to her, forces her to look up. "You will answer me pet. That is a command."

Regina actually looks panicked at this, trapped, and Emma feels a thrill go down her back at making this usually composed politician sweat.

"But I can't-"

"Then I'm just going to assume that you really hate poor people. That you're nothing but a snobby little bitch," Emma says calmly. "But if you tell me," and at this she pressed her clothed center against Regina's clothed center and rocked so very very slowly, making sure the mayor could feel the delicious pressure and heat from top to bottom on her slit. This elicited a groan from the older woman, and one almost from Emma, who held it back in time. "I could fuck you so very, very nicely."

"Fuck." It was clear what Regina wanted but would she go for it?

"Come, tell me pet," Emma began to rock harder, cursing that they were doing this on the couch where there wasn't as much space. She pulled one of Regina's legs up higher so she could position herself more fully. "I know you want to," she husked into her ear. "Just say the words and you can come so hard you won't be able to get up."

Regina groaned at that, her eyes fluttering in increased arousal. "I-I," she swallowed, licked her lips, and Emma couldn't hold back from leaning in and nipping them harshly. That got her a breathy moan. "Tell me," she whispered against them, grinding her hips down more. Their underwear was wet now, clinging to each other, impeding their motions. Emma let her hand creep down to her underwear and she swiftly pulled it off, holding it up in the air and letting Regina get a good look at it's sodden quality before dropping it off behind the couch.

Regina licked her lips at the sight of it but still the words had a hard time coming to her mouth. Emma carefully kept her bottom half from Regina's as punishment.

"Looks like you're being stubborn today. I guess I might have to go into my room and finish this off myself." She made to get up only for Regina to grab her by the wrist.

"Did I tell you you could touch me?" Emma slapped the hand off.

"Mistress please," Regina begged, rubbing her thighs together and looking almost pitifully needy on her back, hair spread out around her. "I'll tell you. I'll tell if you only just fuck me."

A wide grin spread on Emma's face. "That's a good pet." She got onto the couch again, pushing Regina down roughly with her one hand and yanking her underwear off in one smooth grab with the other. "Now tell," she leaned in and nibbled Regina's ear lobe, watching as goosebumps spread down her neck.

"I say those things because I like annoying you," Regina confessed in one breath. Emma was momentarily stunned by that. That was such an...such an elementary school kid thing to do.

"Why?" she breathed out, wanting to know more. Her lips grazed over Regina's jaw line, up her cheeks, her eyebrows and then to her nose where she pressed a gentle kiss, where she let their gazes line up. "Look at me," she reminded Regina when the woman began to move her eyes away. Regina reluctantly did so, her cheeks flushing under the direct stare.

"It's not because I dislike you. It's because...I, uh, I like the way you don't hold back from insulting me."

"And what does that mean?" Emma hummed, letting her lips brush over Regina's but never kissing her. She did so enjoy teasing and tormenting Regina like this.

"People are afraid to speak freely to me. They always hold back their words, always cover them in false niceties. But you don't. You aren't afraid to fight back and it makes me want to argue with you more and more."

Emma chuckled at this, the sound vibrating against Regina's lips and making them part in want. "You are a masochist true and true aren't you?"

Regina's back arched in answer and her lips found Emma's, crossing that minuscule distance between them. Emma immediately drew back and slapped Regina harshly. Regina's head snapped to the side, a loud gasp exiting her throat. "Did I give you permission to kiss me?"

"No, mistress," Regina said. "But I want-"

Another slap here, echoing loudly in the room. "You don't get to make demands of me," Emma hissed, cool and domineering on the outside while the inside of her was a mess at Regina's confession. It almost sounded like Regina respected her in a way. Well, she had a funny way of showing it.

"I promised you a reward for answering my questions and that is all you shall receive and you will gladly take it. Am I clear?"

Regina nodded her head frantically.

"Good," Emma said more softly and slid herself into position, slotting their hips together without any more preamble. They both let out relieved cries when they finally touched for the first time, naked desire on naked desire. Regina's pussy was so hot and silky against Emma's that it made more wetness gush from her. Emma couldn't hold herself back anymore; she gave up on maintaining a rhythm and just rocked as hard and as fast as she could, shaking the couch with her motions. Regina met her sloppily, happy little moans escaping her plump lips. Emma couldn't stifle hers either, so she chose to bury them between Regina's breasts, sucking and licking them into her mouth. As a result Regina raked her hands into Emma's hair, tugging the strands hard, winding them around her fingers as her thighs began to shake.

"Mistress, I'm going to-to cum," she breathed out, throwing her neck back and eyes closing shut tightly.

"Go ahead," Emma gave permission. Regina let out a loud cry and her hips jerked up as she came hard, coming all over Emma's pussy and drenching it with her release. Emma came after her, lips opening in a low moan as she humped down to draw out her orgasm, the wetness between them squelching and dripping onto the couch cushions. When she was done, she allowed herself to slump over Regina's chest, the mayor's bare breasts rubbing against her bra clad ones as the two of them regained their breath. She could feel an arm hesitantly snake around to rest on her lower back.

When the haze of her orgasm passed, Emma felt fear stir inside her. She had let this get out of hand. She...this hadn't been a session. She had made a mistake, had let her anger and curiosity get the best of her. She knew she should have never brought Regina into her house- it blurred the lines between their sessions and real life. There was no telling when they would meld into the other. And this was a good example of it.

Emma hadn't even asked Regina what color they were on. If Regina had been uncomfortable with any of this...shit, this was bad. Emma hadn't meant to do this. This could blow up on her so badly.

Emma quickly tore herself off of Regina, the soft sound of sticky skin peeling apart announcing their separation. Emma blindly searched for her underwear and pants, pulling them on as fast as she could. Regina slowly sat up, clutching her shirt together but it doing little to hide the red and blue bruises on her chest and neck. Her left cheek was slightly red where Emma had struck it. "Where are you going-"

"I need to go get groceries. I do have to feed myself." Emma hated the way her voice shook on this.

"Oh," Regina was quiet a moment as she watched Emma dress up, hopping so she could get one leg into her pant and then the other. Emma winced at the cold feel of her wet panties but she couldn't be here. She couldn't be in the same space as Regina. "About what I said earlier," Regina began hesitantly, face soft and eyes shining with something.

Emma cut her off here, not wanting to delve deeper into this. She couldn't afford emotions to get mixed up. "What happens in play, stays during play," Emma assured with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Feel free to leave when you're recovered."

Regina looks confused by this sudden dismissal, the vulnerable look on her face deepening before an iron wall went up. "What about the aftercare-?"

"You don't need it. You never do," Emma says brusquely as she moves around the room, snatching up her keys, her coat and her wallet. She knows she's being rude but she can't...she can't be here right now or else she's going to have a panic attack. "This sessions on me," she adds hastily, some semblance of manners still in her. "You won't be billed for it."

And then she slams the door shut behind her on a bewildered and lost looking mayor. Emma doesn't do any grocery shopping, surprise surprise, and she delays going back to her apartment but she has to eventually. She has no other place to call home. She gets in, afraid that Regina will still be there. But that's a silly notion. The mayor is long gone and at home with her fiance.

As expected the apartment is empty and for some reason Emma is sad. She finds a note on her coffee table, minus one mayoral computer. It reads, 'your couch is horrid. If you're going to fuck me on it, do it on a better one.' And attached to it below is a copy of an order for a new couch.

Emma lets out a little laugh because she doesn't know what else to do.

That woman, she swears.

* * *

Emma goes to work the next day, worried she might get a complaint from Ursula, that Regina will want to stop seeing her, that she'll get fired. But Ursula says nothing to her that day, just greets her cordially, asks about her week and then fucks off to his own business.

But Emma doesn't feel any relief from this. She only feels more stressed, like the shoe will drop at any other time. Tink notices her looking stressed and comments on it.

"What's got you down?"

Emma needs to tell someone about the inner turmoil going on inside her and so she confides in this woman. Tink isn't a gossip, so she's a safe choice. She's too mature for that.

"I may have...I may have gone too far with a client," Emma admits bitterly, looking down at her hands which shake.

Tink clucks her tongue in sympathy. "Don't worry dear. It happens to all of us." She placed a soothing hand on Emma's back.

"But this client is someone powerful and they-"

"Are you worried they might retaliate?"

"I'm worried I might lose them," Emma whispered, hunching in more on herself.

Tink is also no nonsense- she tells it like it is. "It's very rare for a client to sue, because no one wants it on public record that they spend time and money doing such things. So you don't have to worry about that, especially if they're powerful. The bigger they are the harder they fall, ya?" she speaks, her Aussie accent dripping in. "So worst case, all you'll do is lose them. For good, or maybe only for a little bit. Maybe they'll realize they liked it or that it was simply a slip up on your part and that you won't do it again. You won't know until you talk to them. Check in with how they're doing."

Emma nods her head at this, instantly feeling more reassured. Tink's right. Emma can't let this fester. She has to check in with Regina. Only question is, how will she get her number? Ursula's the only one that has it, but will he hand it over just like that? No way to know unless she tries. She thanks Tink for her words, the small blonde responding, 'any time' before she goes to Ursula's office. It's in the back of the Poor Soul's club and she knocks on his locked door. "Come in, dear," he calls and Emma enters into a smoke filled room. Coughing she waves the smoke away. It stings at her eyes.

"I didn't know you were in the middle of a sauna," she jests and he humphs at her.

"What do you want?" he's typing something up on his desktop computer, an old model they can never get him to shake off despite all the better computers out there. His long nails clack loudly and the cigarette clamped between his teeth burns brightly.

Emma sucks in a breath and regrets it when all she gets is a lungful of smoke. Coughing a bit before she speaks, she says quickly, "I need the mayor's number."

Ursula's nails stop their typing. "What? Why?"

"I uh.." and now here comes the uncomfortable part. "I fear I may have overstepped some boundaries and I want to check in on her, make sure she's alright."

Ursula resumes typing. "You've overstepped boundaries before and it wasn't a big whoop. You powered on."

"Yea, but this is different. She's the mayor. I kind of worry what might happen to me if I piss her off." Emma chuckles nervously, realizing that while Regina might not sue her, she could find other ways to ruin her.

"Can't this wait until next session?"

"What if she doesn't come back for next session?" Emma counters with a question of her own.

The drag queen hesitates before sighing out. "I'm not supposed to hand out her number willy nilly."

"You won't. I'm only calling to do damage control. I can even use your phone."

He sighs again before swiveling in his chair and digging around in the purse on the cabinet behind him. When he turns around he throws his phone at her. The Brick phone, as all the girls call it. Ursula had heard it's name and laughed before saying he'd use his brick phone to crack open their skulls if they didn't stop gossiping and get back to work. "Thanks," Emma grabs the flip phone and goes somewhere private to do the call. Locking herself into the gender neutral bathroom, the ring of the phone is loud and encompassing in the white tiled room.

It rings three times before Regina picks up and Emma can feel her heart rate accelerating as it sinks in that she's actually fucking doing this, actually going to talk to Regina outside of their play sessions.

"Mills," she introduces herself. "What is it Ursula."

Emma lets out a huge breath that rattles the static on the phone call. "Uh, this isn't Ursula."

There is frozen silence on the end and the minutes tick by in Emma's heartbeats that pound in her chest. "Who is this?" Regina's tone is decidedly less friendly. "And how did you get this number?"

Before Regina can further fall into the belief that someone has her personal number and has found out about her connection to Poor Soul's and is about to exploit her, Emma talks. "It's me, Swan."

"Swan?" Regina questions and there are some loud sounds from the other end of her phone followed by the distinct clatter of heels before the environment is more silent. Regina's moved somewhere more private. "How did you get my number?"

"I didn't. Ursula let me borrow his phone."

There is silence as Regina patiently waits for Emma to explain, her voice less edged now that she doesn't fear a scandal breaking out. "I wanted to call in to check-uh, to just check that..." she can't say it. Damn her tongue. She can't say it. So she goes for something else. "You bought me something else again?"

"Are you referring to the couch? It was a necessity. That thing is horrendous. My back still aches from it."

So Regina was hurt. Did all the bite marks Emma leave on her hurt too? Emma wants to ask but she's too afraid to. It's kind of hot, though, thinking about all those marks left by Emma under Regina's clothes. She's been claimed and no one even knows but the two of them.

"And those...does anything else hurt?" There is too much concern leaking into her voice and she hates that. It makes her sound vulnerable. She bites her lip and tries to pull up her dominatrix voice. Her tough demeanor.

"You left an awfully large amount of bites on me, Miss Swan and it was certainly a pain to cover them up. I may just have to lodge a complaint to your employer."

At this Emma's heart stops cold. Shit. She _is_ getting in trouble. Ursula might put her on probation! She won't get to work for a week and she needs her cash.

"Truly barbarian," Regina continues. "If I didn't know better I'd think you were trying to break the NDA. Trying to reveal me."

It takes a moment before the blood rushing through Emma's ears clears and she realizes something. Regina is doing that thing were she's meanly teasing her. She can tell now- or well, not really for sure. But now that she has that information she's hoping she might work it to her advantage. "I wouldn't have to work hard. You moan loud enough that I'm surprised no one has heard you yet."

"Do I?" Regina asks and yes, there is that hint of playfulness to her tone.

Emma continues, feeling confidence boost her words, make her tone sultry and dark. "You moan so loudly when I touch you. You've got a big mouth and it's going to get you into trouble one day. Just like it did yesterday. And I'll have to punish you for it again and again. Pin you against that couch and fuck you hard."

Regina's breathing is suddenly loud on the other end of the phone. "How exactly are you going to shut me up?" her voice is breathy and Emma's hands shake on the phone. She doesn't know why she's doing this. All she knows is that she's possessed with the need for Regina to come undone. She can imagine the mayor's cheeks flushed red, her chest heaving up and down. Emma bites her lower lip and lets out a soundless swear. What is this woman doing to her?

"Why don't you listen and find out. Are you alone?"

"No. I have guests downstairs."

"All the better," Emma deviously hums. "We can practice on keeping your moans quiet. We don't want your guests to hear. Go to a room with a bed."

"I'm already in one."

"Is the door locked?"

A moment, followed by a loud click, and then-"yes."

"Good. I want you to get on the bed. And spread your legs."

There is the rustle as Regina gets on the bed.

"Are your legs spread nice and wide?"

"Yes mistress," Regina hums slightly airy.

Emma lets out a pleased sigh. "And what are you wearing?"

"A gray dress with purple lingerie."

"I want you to push it up around your hips. Then I want you to touch yourself over your underwear. But lightly. Describe to me how wet you are."

There is the rustle of fabric as Regina moves her dress up followed by a soft relieved sigh. "I've soaked through my panties."

"Already?" There is a disproving lilt to Emma's voice that she knows will only drive Regina's arousal higher. "What are you? A desperate teenager whose never gotten fucked before?"

"No, mistress," Regina counters.

"Then why are you this wet. We haven't even done anything."

"I'm...excited," Regina lightly pants. "When I heard you were going to punish me," a shudder quakes her voice as she takes a sharp inhale, "I couldn't help myself."

"You like it when I punish you?"

"Yes, mistress." A moan that Emma imagines has the mayor wanting to rub her thighs together.

"Do you like it when I bite down hard, mark you everywhere? Do you like knowing you're my property? That you and your greedy cunt belong to me?"

"Yes, mistress," a hiss before a plea. "Please, mistress. Can I touch myself."

Emma pretends to think on it. "Hmmm, no."

"Why not?" Regina whines, something almost childish in her tone.

"Because I don't want you to touch yourself yet. You haven't answered all my questions yet."

"I'll answer them, I swear I will, just let me-god, even a finger. Please," Regina begs and Emma can feel her insides clench at this, at the desperation in Regina's voice. She wants to hear Regina fuck herself but not yet. No, drawing out the tension is delicious.

"And will you be able to think with that finger inside you? Do you think you'll be able to answer my questions?"

"Yes. I will."

"I don't think so pet," Emma negates coldly. "So you will wait until I tell you too."

"Mistre-"

"Do I hear complaining?"

"No, mistress, but I-"

"I don't care. I make the rules and you follow them, am I clear?" Emma growls, low and menacing and Regina gives a little whimper of acquiescence. It has Emma's stomach flipping.

"Did you like it when I slapped you yesterday?"

"Yes. I did," and Emma can pick up impatience in Regina's voice at the slow pace. Emma has to hold back a cackle at the power she has over the mayor. The woman probably isn't used to being denied things. "I liked it."

"Are you saying this only because you want me to reward you?"

"No, mistress. I'm not. I liked it. I like it when you slap me. Especially when you slap my cunt," Regina breathes out.

"Well, well," Emma chuckled dirty. "Aren't you a naughty little girl. For that you may take off your underwear."

Emma thinks she can hear a low thank god as Regina gets to shuffling her underwear off.

"How wet are you?"

"Drenched," Regina answers earnestly.

"I want you to spread your cunt for me so I can hear how drenched you are."

"Uh-ah," Regina barely makes out syllables as she does as asked, gliding her fingers so that she can part her labia, happy to finally touch herself properly. Emma can hear the wetness of her folds parting from the other end and her pussy throbs in arousal. Her jeans feel too tight. This bathroom feels too small. Her hand is sweaty on the phone and she switches hands, wiping them on her pants.

"I bet your sopping pussy is just hungry and aching for my fingers."

"Yes," Regina hisses out, barely heard.

"I want you to slide one finger into yourself, very, very slowly. I want you to imagine it's me doing that to you."

There is a low drawn out moan when Regina complies with the demand. "How does it feel?"

"So good. And I'm so hot and tight around your finger."

Emma swallows deeply here, her voice almost a croak. "Slide another finger in. But keep going slowly."

Another moan. "Mistress," drops from the mayor's lips. "I wish you were here."

Emma wishes she was too. She would do anything to see Regina cumming. The mayor always was a pretty sight. But her imagination will have to suffice. Pictures of Regina with her dress rucked up above her hips, legs spread and eyes closed as she slowly and tortuously plunges into herself sitting hot in Emma's nether regions. She pops open the top button of her jeans needing relief.

"I am here. I'm on the phone and I won't leave you. Push three fingers inside."

Little moans and groans were exiting Regina's lips steadily. "Remember to be quiet," Emma chided, "or else everyone else will hear you. Or maybe that's what you want?"

Emma could hear the wet noises increase as Regina's hand tempo speed up. She should reprimand Regina for that, but she couldn't find it in her to do so. She was having too much fun teasing her.

"What would the guests think if they knew what their esteemed," this said mockingly, "mayor was truly doing upstairs. If they knew she was fucking herself to my voice."

"Oh god," Regina groaned out and the faint squeaking noise of a rocking bed could be heard as she impaled herself harder onto her fingers.

The blood was rushing through Emma's ears and she could feel the pinpricks of sweat down her back. Somehow she had shimmied her pants downwards and one hand was already in her panties, circling her clit. She was so wet she wouldn't need much foreplay.

"What do you think they would do if they knew what a slut you were for me. How you spread you legs on my command," Emma said steadily even as her eyes fluttered closed, fingers tapping her clit and sending a wave of pleasure down her spine.

"Mistress...more...please," Regina gasped out, long forgetting she had to be quiet.

Emma knew what Regina was asking for. "You may use your other hand to touch yourself," she breathed out through her nose as she pinned the phone to her ear with her shoulder and pressed her back against the wall as her legs shook. Fingers slid in and out of herself quickly. She needed to get off and now.

A garbled yet joyful response came from Regina at the addition of her new hand. Emma could only imagine the mayor was rubbing her folds frantically with one hand while impaling herself with her other. The phone must have been pressed up against her shoulder as well because she sounded a lot louder now.

"I bet they can hear you right now. Hear your filthy little moans. And they'll know what a freak you are, fucking yourself with wild abandon."

"Cum-c-cum, I'm going to..." Regina heaved out, her ragged breathing so loud in Emma's ear.

"Don't you dare," Emma hissed out as she felt her own orgasm approach.

"I need...I need," and the mayor made a small noise in the back of her throat like she was dying from lack of orgasm.

"No, you don't get to until I tell you," Emma huffed out in one low command.

"Please!" a keen- if no one had heard Regina up till now, they certainly would have with that.

Slightly conscience of the fact that Regina might actually get caught, Emma let her have her orgasm. "Come for me."

No sooner were the words out her mouth than Regina came with a muffled scream. Emma followed soon after, grabbing onto the sink for support as her legs shook and she exhaled heavily through her nose, gasping for air.

As the air slowly returned to her lungs she jerked her hand free, trying to guide Regina through the rest of this impromptu phone sex session. "Tell me, how did it feel to cum in a house full of people right below you. How did it feel doing something so dirty without them knowing."

It takes a while for Regina's breathing to even out. "I think I drenched my sheets," she admits with a hint of burgeoning shame.

That comment threatens to reignite Emma's arousal again so she lets out two even breaths to calm herself down. She's still light and tingly from her orgasm. "Too bad I wasn't there. I would have lapped all of that up, every last drop."

"Fuck," Regina manages out between gritted teeth. "Fuck," she grits out again as Emma can hear the bed begin to rock once more.

"Hmmm, pet, are you trying to go for round two? Who said you could," Emma's voice is low and dangerous and full of thick want despite having sought and received relief not too long ago.

Regina groans out in dismay but the rocking doesn't stop. "It isn't fair for you to say such things to get me hot and bothered."

Emma tsks playfully. "What kind of host would you be if you spent the whole event upstairs masturbating like some sexual deviant?"

Regina's only response is for her breathing to get heavier again.

"Pet, are you touching yourself again? And without my permission?"

But then there's a knock on the door. "Fuck," Regina swears out for a different reason and there are some scratching noises and then a huge thud as the phone falls off the bed.

"Regina?" comes a masculine voice and the creak of the bed indicates her getting up.

"I'm coming," she calls out to her guest, voice surprisingly steady for someone who'd come like the world had ended.

 _Oh, you certainly were ten seconds ago,_ Emma thinks to herself but smartly remains silent on her end. She's eavesdropping but she can't end the call without saying goodbye to Regina; it would feel wrong.

The door opens. "Regina-what's, what's wrong? You look all flushed and sweaty. Are you not feeling well?"

"Y-yes, I- my stomach hurt so I decided to go lie down for a bit."

"It must be a pretty bad stomach ache. I heard you moaning from downstairs."

Emma's heart stills in tandem with Regina's. Shit, was Regina going to get caught?

"Did-did anyone else hear this?" And Regina's tone is cold, subdued. She's hiding her panic well.

"Only me, I think. I was dawdling by the stairs, hoping you'd come down and getting worried when you didn't."

"How long was I gone?"

"About half an hour. The councilman wanted to talk to you about those tax reforms. Shall I tell him you're not feeling well?"

"I should be okay. The worst of the pains have passed. But if you don't mind getting me some pain medication and water and I'll take this time to freshen up."

"Of course," Robin says warmly and voice full of concern. He sounds so invested in Regina's life and well-being. So why does she cheat on him?

"Thank you." And there is the slam of the door before Emma picks up the click of Regina's heels through the phone. Regina picks up the phone, sighing softly into it. "Miss Swan, you are utterly unprofessional."

Emma smiles. "But you like me this way." And then hangs up before Regina can say anymore. Emma sets the phone down and rakes a hand through her hair. She looks fevered and she takes a moment to wash her hands and her face with cool water. Oddly enough she feels better about her work standing with Regina even though they didn't have an authorized play session.

Emma takes some time to make herself more composed before she leaves the bathroom, knocking on her boss's door before coming in.

"I hope you washed your hands," Ursula said casually, tapping his cigarette into an ash tray to get rid of the ash as he continues typing on his computer.

Emma freezes. Did he...did he hear her? But how? She's really quiet when she comes. "I uh...what?" Emma tries to play innocent which only lends to him snorting in amusement. "Don't play pretend. No one talks that long on the phone anymore unless it's phone sex."

Emma flushes deep red. She wouldn't be surprised if steam was rising from her head. "It-it wasn't!"

Ursula shoots her a look and Emma gives up trying to protect her dignity. "I did it as a favor to smooth things over." There's no rule against throwing in freebies. In fact, it's great advertising for getting the customer to come back.

Ursula says nothing to that just holds out his hand for his phone. Emma hands it over and then bolts out of the office.

This time when she comes home she's too embarrassed at being caught by her boss to touch herself to the recollection of Regina's erotic voice in the throes of ecstasy.


	5. Chapter 5

**Adrenlize Me**

* * *

 _Jealousy and love, envy, lust, corruption, fear,_

 _welcome to the headache I wake up with everyday_

 _-The Nearly Deads-_

* * *

 **A/N: Got a suggestion for Regina and Emma to meet outside of the play sessions. So this is more character building than kink.**

"Swan!" Ruby bursts into the changing room of the Poor Souls and wraps Emma up into a hug before the blonde can even respond.

"Whoa, what's going on?" she asks when Ruby finally sets her down and the world stops spinning.

"Belle French came back!" Ruby squeals and dances over to her locker, stripping clothes on the way.

Emma smiles at this, secretly pleased with herself and with Belle. It seems her friend has taken her advice and come back for a session. "And how was it?"

"Aww, so cute!" Ruby gushes. "She's so innocent and pure and I just want to break her."

Emma can relate to wanting to break in a sub for the first time. The heady rush of being able to corrupt someone and turn them to the dark side is addictive.

"What kind of kinks did you do today?" They don't discuss work outside of these walls, so it's perfectly fine to fish for details now, especially since Belle isn't a NDA client like Regina.

"Just sensory deprivation. But eventually we're going to run the whole gamut. Belle's not sure what she likes or doesn't like. It'll be up to me to find out what she likes." Ruby is positively gleeful.

"I haven't seen you this happy since you had that August guy all those months back." Emma tries to say this with levity but fails to do, concern for her friend and co worker overwhelming her mind.

"And I haven't seen you this mopey since Lily." It's said breezily but it hits like a brick.

Emma winces internally at that and keeps her smile plastered on. "Just don't be too enthusiastic. She might not become a regular."

Ruby huffs. "Why do you have to rain on my parade, Emma?"

"Because someone does. I wish someone did for me when it came to Lily," and Emma slams her locker closed and exits the club, rushing out into the rain with her hoodie pulled over her head.

As she leaves she can feel a pair of eyes on her but when she checks, there is no one in the alley by the club and shrugging, she pulls her hoodie closer and hurries home.

* * *

The next morning, Emma pulls herself out of bed relatively early. It's her day off at Poor Souls. The girls schedules are varied. Some work during the day, others during the night, and Emma usually shifts her schedules around to get rid of the monotony there. She typically doesn't go in on Wednesday's and Sunday's, leaving her time to do whatever it is. Friday's and Saturday's are the most lucrative days so she wants to make sure she's there for them and because she's a steady income bringer she gets top bill on what days and hours she wants. However, she's thinking of switching up her days again because she wants Saturday's free instead even though she knows she'll be losing out cash. But with Regina funding her pockets she's not really worried for now.

She washes up, gets breakfast, and with a bottle of water and her ipod strapped to her arm, she heads out to the gym. She needs to keep up the quality of her body- it is her biggest money maker right now. She's halfway to the gym, taking backstreets to avoid people- she's not really a people person this early on- when she sees something that makes her stall.

It's a Mercedes sloppily pulled over, hood up and a pea coat clad figure hunching over it, cursing under their breath and fiddling with something inside.

The cut of that dark hair, those tall heels- it's quite clear who it is and Emma's heart begins to beat harder than it had during the jog.

She licks her lips and deliberates if she should go up to Regina or not but when the mayor's head jerks up, an ugly snarl on her lips, their eyes catch and Emma knows she can't walk away now. Besides, the streets are empty. Regina will not be getting any help from anyone else right now.

"Need a hand?" Emma wags her brows and she can't help the way innuendo slips into her voice.

Regina scoffs. "And what help could you possibly provide?" Her tone is more scathing than usual and Emma can forgive it because of the fact of how frustrated Regina looks.

"I've actually fixed up a couple of cars. One of my foster dad's used to work as a mechanic and he'd make me help out," Emma supplies and doesn't know why she's divulging this much. Regina just messes up all her internal workings and has her acting inadvisably.

"You were a foster kid?" Regina asks, stepping aside as Emma peers in under the hood and does a quick scan.

"You don't know that? You didn't do a background search on me?" Emma asks and the way Regina doesn't say anything for a full two seconds confirms the fact. "You did." Emma can't seem to be mad about that. Regina's the mayor- she couldn't have some murderer servicing her. Emma can't be upset even of the fact that Regina now knows Emma spent time serving in juvie for petty stealing.

"I was merely curious. You checked all my backgrounds," she huffs out, folding her arms over chest as if begging Emma to fight her on this.

"For good reason. We can't have ill people infecting the girls, or some abusive assholes coming in to beat on them."

"Same applies to my case. I had to make sure you were..." and Regina waves her hand here, thinking better on it and dismissing the topic. "Did you find out what's wrong with the car?"

"It's overheated. How fast were you going in this thing?" Emma asks, wiping the grim of the car off on her gym leggings- she's going to sweat them out anyways and wash them later.

"Can you fix it?" Regina avoids answering.

"Yea," Emma pops open her water bottle and pours it into the carburetor. "You just need some water." Regina watches, skeptical.

Bottle of water all poured, Emma turns to Regina. "Try the car now."

Regina goes to the driver side and turns the car on. It sputters to life and she barely is able to hide her surprise that it works. Emma grins smugly. She loves surprising the mayor. "I would take the car to the shop though. It'll need to get carburetor fluid properly."

"I owe you a thanks," Regina said stiffly as if she wasn't used to thanking others too often.

"You don't owe me a thanks. You owe me a bottle of water now," Emma said cheekily.

"This was all a ploy to get me to buy you something, wasn't it Miss Swan?" Regina said and there was a glimmer in her eyes that indicated she was joking around otherwise it would have been impossible to tell by her harsh tone of voice. "I think I spoiled you."

Emma nears Regina at this, the only thing separating them being the open door. "I think I've spoiled you," she grins cheekily and their eyes lock, emerald on citrine and god, this is so weird, actually seeing Regina out of their play sessions. It reminds Emma that what they have is really happening and Regina's a whole other being outside of that collar and leash.

Clearing her throat, Regina steps back. "My gas is idling, Miss Swan. Get in the car."

And even the way Regina calls her Miss Swan. It's almost as much of a turn on as when she calls Emma mistress.

It takes a moment for Emma to realize that Regina has spoken. "Get in your car? What is this? A kidnapping?"

Regina scoffs. "Hardly. If I wanted someone gone I wouldn't have to but lift a finger."

"Ooo, I'm shaking in my boots." Emma mocks and Regina does not look amused except she kind of does.

"Get in," Regina orders one more time and Emma ducks into the passenger side. The car is cool leather inside and it smells overwhelmingly like Regina. Heavy scents with the tinge of apple cinnamon. Emma can't help herself from breathing in deeply and hopes Regina doesn't notice her doing so. She's nervous, sitting inside Regina's car. But she tries to not show it.

Both inside, Regina pulls away from the curb smoothly.

"Where are you taking me?" Emma is curious and can't help wanting to know.

"To get you that water. I can't have you collapsing and then blaming me on your dehydration," Regina said with a quirk of her lip.

"I was only joking. I can easily afford to get another water bottle."

"It seems only fair in exchange for you helping me."

And the car ride is silent after that, Emma tapping her hands on her thighs because she doesn't do well with tense atmosphere's and this atmosphere is tense as fuck. There is so much tension between them that Emma could cut it with a knife. She can feel Regina's eyes skirting back and forth from her, using the rearview mirror to do so. Emma tries to focus her gaze solely on the outside but she couldn't keep it trained there, the soft tapping of Regina's nails on her steering wheel dragging her attention to them. They were painted a deep purple that matched the purple of Regina's button up shirt. And Emma wondered how it would feel to have them rake down her back, leaving deep scratch marks as Regina twisted in ecstasy.

"Can I help you miss Swan?" Regina asks when she notices Emma's hot stare on her hands.

"I was uh, just admiring your manicure. It's nice," Emma says lamely and turns to look out the window, feeling the back of her neck heat up.

Regina doesn't say anything to that but Emma can catch her satisfied smirk in the weak reflection of the window. They eventually pull over to a small grocery store and Regina rummages in her purse before holding out a crisp five dollar bill to Emma. "Here," she adds on when Emma just looks at the money. "Take this for the water."

"That's more than the water is worth," Emma protests lightly. She doesn't want to take more than she needs to. And she doesn't want to leave this car. Not yet, not even though the tension here is enough to kill her.

"It's fine. I have plenty more where this came from."

Of course she does. She's the mayor.

They continue holding their gazes locked until Emma finally makes a move, having realized she had leaned in too closely towards Regina.

Emma takes the bill, making sure their fingers don't brush against each other, and pockets it. "Thanks," she manages out and hurries out of the car so fast she almost trips. She goes to the store without looking back until she can hear the press of tires on concrete that indicate Regina has driven away. When Emma now looks she can see the red tail lights and she breathes easy, though she feels worked up and badly in need of something to take her attentions away from Regina.

That day she pummels the gym bag so hard she breaks it, and when she finishes her water bottle for some strange sentimental reason she wants to keep it, but she forces herself to throw it out.

* * *

"Drinks!" Ruby says immediately as Emma opens the door to her apartment.

Emma is not impressed. "Ruby, what the fuck-"

"It's been a while since we've gone out and played hide the pickle with the local men. Also, it's time to get a drink. We've been sober for too long."

"Ruby, we both drank last night."

"By sober I mean we haven't blacked out," Ruby smiles as she gets let into Emma's apartment because it's too cold to stay in the doorway. She pulls out a bottle of Jack Daniel's from her purse and sets it with a bang on Emma's counter. "Come on, let's get partying."

Emma isn't enthused. "I wasn't planning on going out tonight."

"But I'm here, so now you are."

Emma lets out a laugh at that. Ruby is an annoying shit for sure. Emma finds it endearing."And what are we celebrating?"

Ruby shrugs. "Do we have to celebrate anything?"

"So this is just you being horny, then, isn't it?"

Ruby fake gasps. "No, what gave you that idea?"

Emma hasn't been out in clubs since forever. Since this whole mess with Regina began actually. Crushing on the mayor kinda makes it hard for Emma to be interested in anyone else. Being bisexual, Emma has no issue with getting laid with either gender, though she does prefer the female sex more. Ruby is bisexual herself though her bisexuality extends to pretty much kissing girls and thinking they're hot rather than full blow sex like she has with men.

Though with Belle things might change. Emma won't know until later.

"I'm pretty set with sex for now," Emma explains because she's had the best orgasms when fantasizing of Regina but Ruby doesn't need to know that.

"Self penetration does not count. And I'm talking about having a body in your bed that doesn't have to do with work either."

Emma rolls her eyes, cracks open the Jack Daniel's. "I'm getting too old for this," she complains and Ruby rolls her eyes. "Quit complaining and lets get draining." And to prove her point she drains the cup that Emma has just poured out.

"Aw shit, forgot how much that burns," she hisses to herself and coughs while Emma watches her pain in amusement.

They pregame for an hour or so, or until Emma is buzzed enough to want to go out and grind on some bodies. She dresses, putting on a crop top and some tight leather jeans and does up her hair into a high ponytail with big fat curls. Red lipstick is quickly applied and so is mascara before Ruby is pulling Emma out the door and they're walking over to the clubs.

The clubs and bars in Storybrooke are mainly all situated on a three block radius which makes it easy to bar hop. They start at the Rabbit Hole first, buying several shots and drinks for consumption, chatting animatedly with the people there. Ruby is a social butterfly and Emma is content to watch her friend go around making new friends while she sips on her drink at the bar and thinks about the mayor with a strange fondness.

"You look lonely," a woman saddles up to her, voice thick with a foreign accent. Emma has never seen her around before. Usually it's the same faces in the bars and clubs each week and this woman is certainly new here. She's got orange hair and an affinity for the color green, giving her strikingly bright dress in this drab bar.

"I'm not. I have Jack to keep me warm," Emma says, raising her glass in show before gulping down half of it.

"Perhaps you could use the company of Jim Bean?" the new comer says slyly as she sits next to Emma. She raises her hand for the bar tender to serve her that drink choice and waits patiently for her order.

"You're new here," and it's not a question but a statement.

"I am." The woman grins and there is something delightfully mischievous about that smile even though the woman hasn't done anything yet.

"What for?"

"Just visiting my sister in this bore of a town. I don't normally spend my time in such hovels," and she gives a high curl of her lip here. A high maintenance bitch, nice. "But there's nothing else to do on a Friday night."

"What about hanging out with your sister?"

"She's busy with her boy toy and I decided that was too much heternormativity for me so I came out here, hoping to find some gays."

Well, this woman is certainly forthcoming with her sexuality, and with her barely concealed interest in Emma as she rakes her eyes over the low cut on Emma's shirt and on the flannel she is wearing over it. "Have you found one?" Emma asks, not rising to the bait, to confirming she is somewhat gay.

The redhead tips her head, smiles in a more subdued manner. "I may have not. Or I may have. It all depends on how the night goes." She receives her drink and sips on it, swirling her tongue on her lips as she gives Emma a look imbued with meaning.

Emma chuckles at this. "Sorry to report but Storybrooke's a pretty closeted town. You may have to go outside it for what you truly want." Emma doesn't know if she's looking to hook up this night. Her thoughts are too filled with Regina and she isn't sure sex would help erase the woman from her mind.

But the new comer was not easily deterred. "You'll find I'm a whole lot of fun," and her voice is just low enough that it surprisingly sparks a heat between Emma's legs and she decides, why not. Maybe sex can help her pitiful brooding. She won't know until she tries it.

"Are you a top or bottom?"

"Top," the woman shoots back without hesitation. Emma chuckles at this again.

"So am I. This might be problematic."

The woman is quiet a moment as she purses her lips, considering something. "Well, I see no issue if you were to...fight me on it."

"Whoever comes out on top, is the top?" Emma arches a brow and the woman smiles at her.

"Exactly."

And the idea of fighting for dominance is entirely too enticing to Emma. She's going to prove to this woman that she doesn't know who she's messing with. That Emma is a dominatrix true and true.

"Let me just tell me friend," Emma makes to get up but the woman's hand on her upper arm stills her.

"Why don't we enjoy the night a little longer? Dance, have some more drinks. Talk."

Emma nods her agreement. "Sure."

The woman grabs Emma's hand and leads her out onto the dance floor. And the rest of the night is a blur of dancing and drinking, a British voice in her ear and loud, loud music.

* * *

Emma wakes up the next morning to soft sheets and a pounding headache along with various other aches in her body. As she slowly sits up, she thinks this place looks familiar. It's not her bedroom certainly, but it is somewhere she's been before. The BnB? She thinks. For sure she's had one night stands at that place. But unless this is the VIP suite this doesn't look like the inn. It's too nice for that.

She groans and gets up, sliding on her clothes from last night that are strewn all over the place. The whole bedroom is a mess like a tornado swept through it, and it's an adequate feeling for how damn intense that red haired woman is. She pushed Emma up against every surface in this room she could find which explains the knocked over lamps, the fallen picture frames, and the sheets that look almost ripped in half. But Emma had won in the end, had gotten to be the one on top and angry score marks line her back as a prize.

Emma is sore from last night and she's going to be feeling it for a while.

She quietly tip toes through the house, wondering where her hook up even went. Did she go to work? Run when she sobered up and realized who Emma was? Grimacing, Emma rinses her mouth out with water and combs her fingers through her hair to make herself look more presentable, wincing when she sees the big hickey under her jaw. Then she goes downstairs from where the smell of bacon sizzling greets her.

With a jolt she realizes she doesn't even know the other woman's name and as she rounds the corner, hoping to ask her, she freezes solid.

Regina's at the stove, back turned to her, and frying bacon. She's wearing a negligee of purple satin, one that from this angle reveals the smooth expanse of her upper back and her legs. Her hair is naturally curly, messy waves that curl around her chin. Emma finds that cute for some reason.

Regina's not aware that Emma is here, watching her, and Emma feels too frozen to even say anything, wondering why the fuck Regina is here. No, wait, this is Regina's house. Emma can recognize that fridge, the same fridge she'd pulled those ice cubes out of to fuck Regina. So why the fuck is she in Regina's house? Did she stumble in drunkenly? Did she break in?

Her tortured thoughts are cut short by a loud gasp and the plastic thunk of the cooking spoon falling onto the ground. Regina's turned around and noticed Emma standing like a deer in headlights in her doorway.

"What are you doing here?" she accuses, brown eyes distrusting.

Suddenly things make sense. "Wait, _you're_ her sister? But you don't even look alike!" They don't! One is pasty like Styrofoam with red hair and the other sun kissed and brunette.

Now Regina looks confused even more. "What?"

The loud slam of the front door opening makes the both of them jump. "Good morning!" the intruder screams at the top of her lungs and strides into the space where the two women are.

"Ah, Emma darling," the woman says, brightening up considerably at the blonde's appearance.

Emma stiffens because this woman has unintentionally given away Emma's real name. Now Regina knows it. But she shouldn't be worried over that. Right now the mayor is focusing laser pointed rage at her sister.

"You took your time sleeping in," the woman coos as she slings an arm over Emma's shoulder and Emma suddenly feels very uncomfortable to be here. "You must have been all tuckered out by all our activities last night." Emma flushes when she sees Regina's lips part open in shock at that.

"I thought it was the raccoon getting into the trash again that made all that noise."

"Nope, it was us." The woman bops Emma on the nose playfully before passing them into the kitchen where she grabs a banana from the fruit bowl. "You may have to get a new lamp sis. I think we broke it," she says around a mouthful of the fruit. "Oh, and some new sheets. We really tore up the guest room."

There is a red tint to Regina's face that can't be healthy. She clenches her fists. "Zelena! What did I tell you about-"

"Ta ta!" Zelena waves off Regina and escapes up the stairs. Regina follows after her. "We are not done here! How many times have I told you picking up random strangers is not a healthy life choice!"

There's further screaming upstairs and the slamming of doors and Emma just stands there dumbly, feeling like she has intruded on something she shouldn't. She doesn't know what to do. Should she just leave? But then she smells burning and leaps into action to save the bacon.

In that way she accidentally makes breakfast.

When the two Mills' women come back downstairs, Regina looks ticked off while Zelena is smiling gleefully, clearly amused by this. For some reason Emma thinks she's going to have a love hate relationship with the red haired woman. She's probably not wrong.

"What's this? You cooked us breakfast?" Zelena smiles, fluttering her lashes in an exaggerated style. Emma has made eggs, bacon, with a side of toast and some orange slices that were squeezed into freshly made orange juice. She felt the need to do this because she wanted to take the edge off of the tension going on between them all. "I should keep you around," Zelena commented as she sat down to enjoy her meal. Regina did so more reluctantly, taking the chair farthest from Emma and purposefully avoiding looking at her.

"I'm not a pet," Emma mumbled out, avoiding looking at Regina as she said this.

"You certainly don't roll over on your belly like one. And you're more bite than bark." She winked lasciviously at Emma. "I think I have bruises from how hard you went."

Emma flushes at this, very well aware of Regina's aggravated fork stabs. "Yea, uh, thanks."

"And I can see I did a handy job on you too," she grinned over her orange juice, and now Emma felt Regina eyeing her hickey.

Emma smiled thinly at this but the woman didn't stop going. "Perhaps next time I come to visit my sister again, I might call you up again. You certainly made it a night to remember."

There is the rattle of cutlery as Regina slams her hands onto the tabletop. "Stop this debauched talk at the breakfast table. I will not allow such conversation to take place under my roof."

 _Strange, there certainly was a lot of dirty talk between us here in your house before,_ Emma thinks but bites down on her tongue.

"Oh please," Zelena scoffs mightily and rolls her eyes. "Just because Robin has all the sexual appeal and talent of a stick stuck in mud doesn't mean I can't have my sordid fun."

Emma can't hold back a chuckle at this. This certainly explains one reason why Regina has been coming to her.

Regina shoots betrayed eyes to Emma but the blonde purposefully avoids looking at her. "Why don't you tell me more about yourself," she intercepts, ever trying to steer away from the awkwardness of post sex talk.

"What about me?" Zelena is apparently delighted to be the center of attention.

"Where do you come from?"

"I'm from England. Lived there pretty much all my life with my pops before I moved to the US for a couple of years for uni and then moved back for work."

"What do you do for work?"

"Fashion. I run my own clothing line. You may not have seen it yet, because it's only local, but I'm working on expanding it's reach."

"What's the brand called?"

"Wicked Witch. It focuses on night wear and undergarments for the wicked soul," Zelena winks. "You may have seen me wearing some of my product yesterday. Or not, given how quickly you tore it all off."

Regina pushes herself from the table at this. "I'm going to finish eating in the kitchen."

"Do you two know each other?" Zelena asks in a low voice when Regina is gone.

Emma starts at this, eyes going wide. "No. We don't. Why do you say that?"

"Because the two of you seem to be trying awfully hard to not look at each other. Did you two fuck before or something?"

Emma doesn't have anything in her mouth to spit take so instead she chokes on her saliva. "N-no," she coughs, turning bright red.

Zelena makes a hmmm noise but doesn't seem convinced. "You know she's not my real sister. Only half sister."

"Really?" Emma eagerly latches on, eager to get away from the topic of sleeping with Regina.

"Same mother, different father. Though mother wanted her, and not me," Zelena makes a sour face at this and Emma feels for her.

"At least one parent wanted you. Both of mine didn't."

Zelena reaches over and pats Emma's hand. "Kindred spirits, the two of us." And the rest of breakfast is spent talking about shitty home lives, trying to one up each other as to who had it worse. Emma wins naturally.

Zelena takes to the kitchen to clear the plates and Emma excuses herself to go to the bathroom. She's just finished washing her hands and turning the knob to exit when she finds a stormy looking Regina on the other side.

"We need to talk," she growls out and shoulders her way into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Emma already knows this won't be good and she prepares herself for whatever next the mayor might have to say. But it's not like this whole situation is Emma's fault. She didn't know Zelena was Regina's sister. What are the odds of that?

"Okay, shoot," Emma rubs her hands together and takes a step back. Regina is crowding the big bathroom with her anger and Emma needs space. She feels like a child about to be scolded.

"You slept with my sister. Are you trying to sabotage me?"

That is a big accusation to make, and one Emma isn't expecting. "Are you kidding me? Why would I try to sabotage you?"

"Then why did you sleep with _her_?"

"I didn't know she was your sister. You don't exactly look alike!" Emma threw up her hands. "And I slept with her because I have needs, Regina. Everyone does. If being clean is the issue that's bothering you, don't worry, I get tested often. But I didn't do it to sabotage you. I still don't know where you got that idea from!"

"So you weren't trying to infiltrate my family?" Regina asks slowly but deathly pissed off. She's been like this the whole morning.

"Infiltrate?" And Emma is aware her voice is going up in pitch but she can't help herself. This is absurd.

"We have a NDA, and I don't want you talking about my sister to anyone," Regina jabs the air, eyes dark.

Emma suddenly gets the feeling this isn't about the NDA but something else.

"Tell me why you're really mad."

"I just did. You have no right to intrude yourself into my private life anymore than you already have."

"It wasn't on purpose," Emma grits out behind clenched teeth, nostrils flaring. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"

They're staring at each other, chests heaving, air filled with a heavy heat.

Emma has no idea who makes the first move but next thing she knows the both of them are kissing, hard. Teeth clank against teeth and hands skitter all over as if trying to grab and hold onto everything but unable to as their bodies impact together. Emma at last fists her hands into Regina's hair and Regina curls hers around Emma's waist as they slam into the wall, momentarily knocking the air out of Regina.

That doesn't deter her from kissing Emma. The kisses are wet and messy and Emma nips on Regina's bottom lip before the brunette tears her mouth away and begins to lave up and down Emma's neck, stopping on the hickey under Emma's jaw and sinking her teeth into the flesh there.

"Jesus!" Emma cries out at the sudden pain but Regina doesn't relent, only tightens her hold before letting go with a pop. It's almost like she wants to erase Zelena's marks off of Emma.

Emma doesn't like how pushy her pet is becoming. Emma rips Regina's hands from Emma's hips and pins them up against the wall above her head, using her hips to do the same with Regina's hips. Regina is stretched tight, her chest arching up nicely because of her new position.

"Are you jealous, pet?" Emma's voice is dark and a mixture of anger and frustration and something hotter trickles through her veins.

"Jealous of what? Trash like you?"

In retaliation Emma slips her thigh in between Regina's legs and rocks hard, almost painfully so.

Regina lets out a harsh choked gasp.

"Wrong answer," Emma growls, lips prowling the expanse of Regina's neck, striking over her pulse point and sucking it in.

"There is no other answer," Regina insists stubbornly and Emma rocks into her again. This time Regina can't manage to stifle the moan that comes out.

"You know what I think. I think you were jealous," Emma says, nipping with her teeth all over Regina's neck until she leaves little red raised marks. "I think you were jealous that your sister got to fuck me. Because you know how good of a lay I am. You know how skilled my tongue and my fingers are. And you wish it was you in her place. You wish it was you who was screaming her lungs out, cumming so hard you couldn't tell left from right." Emma now trails her nose over Regina's chest bone, inhaling her fragrance. One of woods and rich heady apple cinnamon spice. She can feel Regina's wetness seeping through her pants material and it delights her to know the effect she has on this ornery woman.

Regina still tries. "That's not- I wouldn't-"

"Well you don't get to have me. Naughty pets don't get rewarded." And at this Emma drops back, leaving Regina flustered and breathing unevenly against the wall. Emma took in the image of that, of how uncomposed Regina was, eyes bright and shiny, and with a satisfied smirk, she left.

And that day as she made her way home, thoughts focused on Regina, she was unaware of the eyes following her once more.

 **A/N: I don't know anything about cars, so let's pretend pouring water in can actually fix a vehicle.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Adrenlize Me**

* * *

 _I'll hold you tight, never let you go,_

 _Hey, I'm getting under your skin_

 _You're stuck with me until the end,_

 _How does it feel to be haunted?_

 _-Diamante-_

* * *

 **A/N: Just wanted to clarify some plot related things in general for this story.**

 **1) Killian's role in this story is a minor character and as such I have no plans on extending his role into a grander story line. Additionally he serves another purpose which I will explain later when the story gets to that point.**

 **2)The whole Zelena/Emma thing was a one off event and was done so as Emma could inadvertently become involved in Regina's life more, additionally to make Regina realize she's jealous of sharing Emma (even though she denies it and might not entirely be aware of it), and to start a Zelena/Emma friendship.**

 **Also, thank you for the support on this story. I appreciate all my readers.**

"Swan, I've got bad news," Ursula is the one to call Emma at six in the morning and wake her up from her pleasant dreams.

"Bad news? Why, what happened?" Emma asks groggily, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.

"It's Killian," comes in her boss's voice on the other end. "He's exposing you."

Emma's jaw drops open. "What?" she screams out, all traces of sleep gone. "He's exposing me?"

"Yes, he's threatening to reveal that you work for Poor Souls, and what your full name is, and where you come from- all that she bang."

"How does he know all this?"

"He probably went to Sidney Glass is my guess, and got him to hack this information on you. Maybe he followed you around? It is a small town."

"Shit." Emma rubs her forehead in worry. "Why would he do this?" but it's a rhetorical question. She knows why he is doing this. Because she dumped his ass as a client. "Shit, shit. What the fuck do I do now?" Emma flops back onto the mattress; it too early in the morning to deal with this bullshit.

Suddenly it makes more sense as to why she had felt like she was being followed the past week and a half. That creep must have been trailing her through town. Cold dread filters down her spine. Did he follow her to her apartment? If he did, then did he see Regina arriving here? Did...did he know?

Fuck.

And it's not like Emma can even tell Ursula about this because Emma broke the rules by allowing Regina to come to her place in the first place. What the fuck is she going to do? Both Ursula and Regina will have her ass if this comes to light. Her stomach twists and she feels like she's going to be sick.

"I'm going to handle it the best I can. If he leaks your information I can sue his ass for privacy reasons."

"And what am I to do?" Her voice is weak.

"Stay your ass at home. We don't need you out on these streets if his expose lands."

"This is fucked up," Emma states, pinching her brow.

"I know. But I won't let him get away with it," Ursula says resolutely and hangs up. Emma barely resists the urge to throw her phone against the wall because it's not her phones fault she had to hear such bullshit this early on. She lands pitifully in bed for a couple more moments before she gets up and decides she might as well get breakfast started.

She takes out her anger on cracking eggs and on stirring them violently on the pan. Eating something helps her feel slightly better but it doesn't take the edge off of her anger. How dare Killian do this! How dare he! It's against the rules, against basic human courtesy.

If his smug face ever showed up again she would deck him so hard, he'd end up into next week. What was he even hoping to accomplish with this? Was he hoping she would get scared and ask him to come back? Fat chance of that. She only wanted him farther away.

There was too much tension in Emma's body. She needed an outlet and she couldn't stay home where she would only think on him and her current issue because there was nothing to distract her. So, ignoring Ursula's warnings to stay home, Emma put on some gym clothes and went outside. It was time to pound the shit out of the local gym bag.

Imagining Killian's face on the bag helped immensely. And two hours later, Emma finally felt some of that burning anger leaving her, replaced by the burn of muscles fully stretched. She packed her shit up and left, trudging back home, now filled with something akin to despair. What the fuck was she going to do about this situation. Would there be any way to salvage it? Her brain hurt just thinking about it.

When she got to her apartment, she was not expecting to see Regina perched on her kitchen counter, flicking through her work emails.

"I thought Ursula told you explicitly to stay home while all this was sorted out," she said without looking up. And casually at that too, as if Regina normally broke into people's apartments on the daily.

"How did you get in here?" Emma gaped at the audacity of this woman to break into her place. Mayor or not, she shouldn't do that.

"That's not important; what is important is the issue Ursula had called me about to warn me. She told me one of your old clients was digging into your history and that I should dissociate myself from you and the company until it blew over."

If that was the case, then why was Regina not listening to Ursula's advice and sitting in Emma's apartment? She had accused Emma of not listening but here she was, doing the same. But Emma wasn't going to point that out.

"Now, I'd like to hear it from your own mouth, what transpired between you and Killian for him to go so far as to try to expose you," Regina finished clicking something and looked up, dark eyes widening when she noticed Emma's clothing, tight spandex shorts and a sports bra that did nothing to hide her toned form. Regina's eyes lingered on Emma's abs and Emma didn't miss the hungry look on the mayor's face. It was nice to see the effect she had on the mayor even when they weren't playing.

"And why are you all up in my business?" Emma asked defensively, crossing her arms over her stomach and robbing Regina of her view. Regina frowned and looked up. "Because you happen to be connected to me and I don't need it coming out that you and I are associated. I don't need a scandal."

Right, that makes sense. Emma sighs heavily and heads to her fridge to get some water. She chugs down half of it before she responds, Regina watching her throat bob with each swallow. "He got delusional, thinking that what we had during our play sessions was applicable to real life as well. So I had to drop him when he couldn't understand when I explained to him that I wasn't solely his, that he couldn't control who I saw as clients, and that most importantly I wasn't in love with him. And now, he's trying to expose me as revenge."

"Disgusting," Regina mutters out. She hops down from the counter and straightens out her skirt. Grabbing her purse she heads towards the door. Emma is confused by her abrupt departure. "Where are you going?"

"Some of us have actual jobs to do," Regina snaps back over her shoulder and slams Emma's door shut.

Emma's jaw drops open. "Did that bitch just insinuate I don't have a real job?" The amount of arrogance Regina carried would never fail to astonish Emma. She wanted to retort that her job was important, and if it wasn't than Regina could take care of her needs by herself. But the mayor was already gone.

Shaking her head, Emma went up to her shower to wash up. She spent the evening flicking through TV channels and trying hard not to think about Regina's visit. Was the mayor going to do something? She seemed insistent on not wanting herself getting linked to Emma. And the mayor had a lot of power.

But Emma had no way of knowing so she could only wait despite how much she hated being unable to do anything.

At ten pm she got a call from Ursula. "Check the news," was his husky demand and Emma flipped to that channel. They were reporting on a man named Killian Jones. Emma sat up, phone still pressed to her ear.

"Local man charged with counts of stalking and blackmailing a female resident of Storybrooke, whose identity is hidden for her safety, and he is now facing serious jail time."

"Holy fuck," Emma whistled into the phone. "Holy FU-ck. Did you do this?"

"No but I wish I did."

Emma's beliefs are confirmed. "The mayor does not mess around does she?" She's fast, efficient and ruthless.

"She does not. But thanks to her we have one less issue to deal with. You can feel free to come back to work tomorrow. Killian's being held without bail and I doubt the mayor will ever let him walk if only to protect her own reputation."

And that's the end of that problem. But like Ursula said, it's only one less Emma has to deal with, because she's still in too deep with the mayor. Things have gotten out of control. But luckily the next session with the mayor will be the third to last and then Emma can stop whatever this is that is between them.

* * *

Emma's in the middle of cooking dinner when her phone buzzes with an unknown number. She thinks about ignoring it, but when the same number calls back three times it means that it isn't a misdial and that someone she knows must be trying to reach her.

"Hello?" she balances the phone between her shoulder and ear as she stirs the pot.

"Emma dearie! How are you?"

"Zelena?" Emma furrows her brows, recognizing that British lilt anywhere. "How did you get my number?"

"You gave it to me."

"No I didn't." Emma never gave her number to one night stands.

"No you didn't," Zelena confirms with a hum. "But I found it, so all is good."

"Found it? Where did you find it?" Emma feels cold dread go down her back. If Zelena found it through her online sex profile than the red haired woman could start connecting dots together. It was bad enough she suspected Emma of having slept with Regina. She didn't need to know about Emma's job and the particular services it provided when they slept together.

"I may have gone through your phone."

Emma is too relieved to sound truly angry. "You don't go through people's phones. That's a violation of privacy."

"You didn't mind it so much when I violated your privates last time."

Emma rolls her eyes. "Why are you calling me?"

"I wanted to see if you were up for a repeat performance?"

That wasn't a good idea for so many reasons (namely not wanting to piss Regina off) but reasons Emma couldn't vocalize to Zelena. So she told her a white lie. "I don't hook up again with my one night stands. Personal policy."

"Shame," Zelena sighed out, not truly sounding put out. "Then who am I to have fun with now?"

"I'm sure you'll find some gay girls to suit your fancy." Emma turned the heat off and emptied her steaming dinner onto the plate.

"Not as much as you suit mine." A pause. "Come hang out with me then."

"Zelena I already said-"

"Not for shagging. I know when no means no. Is it odd to you that I enjoy our conversations?"

"No, not at all." Because Emma did enjoy talking to the red head despite all her odd tendencies.

"Good. Then come hang out with me. We can have some tea and biscuits, or go shopping in the three stores this town has."

Emma laughed at that. Zelena really didn't like Storybrooke. "There's fun things to do. You have to believe me."

"You were my only fun thing to do," Zelena said with exasperation and a bit of the dramatic. "But if you say so I shall believe you. Tomorrow for lunch?"

"Yes."

"Ta ta, dear."

* * *

Emma should have known that lunch with Zelena wouldn't have been that easy. They had started off the meal at 12:30 at one of those cute cafes with not so cute price tags. Emma had come under dressed or so Zelena said as much with her distasteful expression. "What?" Emma asked in irritation, snacking on the complimentary biscotti.

"A turtleneck? Really?" Zelena herself was in a dress despite the snow outside.

"I happen to like turtlenecks," Emma said, disgruntled. She also happened to be out of clean clothes.

Zelena merely shook her head and popped open the menu, patting the seat next to her as Emma shrugged off her coat fully. "Sit here, dear. We have guests coming."

"Guests coming?" Emma did as asked, switching her seats, and looking into her own menu. "I thought you didn't have any friends in this town."

Zelena merely smiled a secretive grin, as if Emma should know the answer. And Emma did come to an answer about ten seconds later when she saw a familiar brunette approaching them, followed by a man.

Emma shot Zelena a horrified look. "You invited Reg-the mayor, to this lunch?" the slip up didn't go missed on the red haired woman who simply didn't comment on it for now.

Zelena shrugged innocently. Too innocently. "She's my sister. And the last time the two of you got off on the wrong foot. I want to amend that." Did Zelena know about the screaming match in the bathroom?

But no, that was impossible. She must be referring to the whole bringing a 'stranger' home bit.

Love hate relationship with Zelena indeed. How the fuck was Emma going to explain this to Regina now? The brunette had made it abundantly clear that she didn't want Emma involved in her life any further than she already was.

In fact her eyes had widened upon spotting Emma, the blonde giving her a sheepish look. But like a true politician she quickly covered it up and sat down, Robin sitting next to her. "Zelena, I see you brought a friend. Introduce us," Robin said. He was a handsome man, and kind by the looks of it. Emma felt sick sitting here, knowing what it is she knew. This wasn't the first time she was aware of how she was helping a politician cheat on their spouses but she'd never had to come face to face with them before. This was different.

"This is Emma. Emma, Robin, Regina's fiance," and Emma swore that there was bitterness on the word fiance. She held out her hand and shook it. "And this, of course, is the mayor of our town and my sister, Regina."

Emma shook hands with the brunette. "Pleasure to meet you." But the tight hold on Emma's hand belied the sweet tone of the mayor. Emma tried not to wince and shook her hand out discreetly afterwards. Regina really wasn't happy for Emma to be here.

"I didn't know you had friends in Storybrooke, Zelena. I thought you hated it," Robin said conversationally.

"Oh I do still hate it. Such a bore. But I meet Emma one night and we just clicked. In all the right places."

Emma's not sure if that last sentence is meant to be imbued with sexual meaning but one look at Regina's face confirms it. Her lips are pursed and she's looking down at her menu purposefully to keep from murdering her sister with her eyes.

"She's been showing me the sights, and such sights they are," at this Zelena patted Emma's hand and Emma gave a watery smile. The sexual content was lost on Robin who smiled at them, almost radiating a pure hearted joy. "I'm glad to see you getting along with someone for once."

"I'm the nicest person and easiest person in the world to get along with," Zelena scoffed playfully.

"Easiest, I'm sure of," Regina snorts and Emma nearly laughs out loud at that. Seems the sisters aren't on such good terms.

Zelena shoots Regina a dark look but doesn't do anything else about that.

"How come you're visiting, Zelena?" Robin asks and there is a slight lull in conversation as they place their orders.

"I came to see mother. Even though she likes to think I don't exist, I still care for her. And her health isn't going anywhere well fast. I'd like to say my goodbyes while I still can. Maybe amend a few things, bury the hatchet-"

"I don't think it is quite a good idea to speak on such dreary things when we have a guest here, Zelena. Let's not depress her," Regina cuts in with a barely friendly smile.

She hasn't looked at Emma or referred to her by name once by now, excluding the initial sight of each other.

Zelena takes this into consideration. "Very well then, why don't you tell us the story of how you two meet. It was quite romantic. I'm sure Emma would love to hear it."

Emma's face takes on a look of muted horror that Robin misses. It seems like a lot of things go over his head.

Regina's lip corners dip slightly and before she can reject this idea, Robin jumps in, eager to tell the tale. "We had known each other prior- we both studied at the same college. Yale."

Of course Regina would study at Yale. She was smart enough for it. And probably rich enough too.

"We became friends there, though we both hung out in different circles. And then we graduated. After graduation we both spent our time drifting from political sphere to political sphere, hoping to find suitable work and experience, and we would see each other during those events from time to time. We continued our friendship from there but it wasn't until Cora's party that we truly realized the extent of our feelings." At this Robin grabs and strokes the back of Regina's hand. She smiles at him, though her smile is worn thin. "We had our first dance there, and our first kiss on the balcony under the moonlight."

"So romantic," Zelena gushes and the waiter arrives, discreetly dropping off their food.

"After that we parted ways again, but we had hope to see each other once more. And when Regina finally confessed to wanting to be with me truly, I moved into Storybrooke to be with her. You see, she had ran her own political campaign and I was there to help her finish the race, to give her my moral support. We both worked on helping her run for mayor and she got the position. And now I'm staying with her until she completes her term and then we're going to get married and move out to Boston so I can run for office." Robin is brilliant as he speaks and it's painfully obvious of how in love with Regina he is. Of how he has planned his whole life around her.

There's a lump in Emma's throat. Regina...leaving town? She can't bare to think that.

"And I am grateful for you being by my side," Regina says softly as Robin kisses the back of her knuckles.

"That...that is a nice story," Emma manages to say even as her chest fills with despair. She doesn't even know Regina like this but she hates to think of losing her. She busies herself with eating her dish.

Zelena quickly moves the conversation onto small talk and this time Regina participates and so does Emma, though hesitatingly because she is wary of pissing Regina off any more than she already has with her presence. Emma finishes with her meal first and fiddles with her water, for she has nothing else to occupy her mouth with in order to avoid talking too much.

Suddenly, Zelena's hand finds its way onto Emma's thigh and she nearly spits out her water at the unwarranted touch. She knows she's flushing red but she can't help it. Regina's eyeing her strangely as Zelena and Robin talk about something intently and her gaze drifts from the positioning of Zelena's hand under the table and the way its slightly shaking from rubbing patterns onto Emma's thigh, to Emma's red face. Her gaze sours.

Harried, Emma whips out her phone and texts Zelena under the table.

 _what r u doing?_

There is the unmistakable buzz of a phone going off. "Excuse me, I must get this," and Zelena pulls out her phone to text Emma back.

 _making my sis jealous_

 _y?_ Why is Zelena doing that? A sibling rivalry? And then why the hell does Emma need to be involved in this? Why wouldn't Zelena hit on Robin?

 _because i want to help you, and both you and my sis are idiots_

Emma turns to frown at Zelena who ignores her pointedly and puts her phone back into her purse. "Now, where were we?" she turns back to Robin and pretends that talking about the woods is the most interesting thing on the planet.

 _what is this really about? Zelena? Hello?_

But the woman doesn't look at her phone for the remainder of the lunch and so Emma stops texting. She tries to listen in to Robin and Zelena's conversation and almost spits out her water again when she feels something brush against her foot. Once and then more deliberately. She looks up in wonder and confusion at Regina who juts her chin up and holds Emma's stare defiantly. Daring her to say something, before she turns back to the conversation and smoothly inserts a statement like nothing else is going on. Like she isn't rubbing up against her sex for hire with her fiance and sister right there.

Emma just flushes hard. The mayor is playing footsie with her, under the table. Her stocking covered foot is rubbing up and down Emma's ankle and then her shin and Emma's legs spread automatically before she can think about it.

Shit. This is getting out of control. One hand rubbing her thigh and one leg rubbing her calf. She doesn't like that. She is the one in control. She jumps up and excuses herself to the restroom. When she gets inside she splashes cool water on her heated face. The door opens shortly and she catches the reflection of Zelena in the mirror.

"What is all that out there?" Emma demands, wiping her face with a piece of paper.

"I'm only trying to help."

"Help who?"

Zelena crosses her arms over her chest. "My sister. She's trapped in a loveless engagement and I don't want her to do that, just because it's what mother said she has to do."

Emma was confused. "This doesn't make any sense." There's gaps to the story that Zelena needs to give Emma but isn't.

"How thick are you. Regina doesn't love Robin."

"I can see that!" Emma points out. "But what does that have to do with me?"

"Regina's gay and she's hiding it. Robin's her beard. Except he doesn't know he is."

"Oh." Emma is quiet. Things make a lot more sense now. She feels exceedingly bad for both Robin and Regina.

"And I don't want either my sister or Robin to suffer."

"And how am I involved in this?"

"Clearly my sister has something for you if the weird way you carry yourselves around each other say anything. She can be very territorial over the people she cares for."

Emma snorted here. "Your sister doesn't care for me. She barely even knows me."

"That may be the case, but she's definitely interested. She almost tore my head off when she found out I slept with you. And being a protective older sister only goes so far before there's another reason for 'why I should't sleep with strangers' is blasted on repeat into my ears."

"So, you want me to sleep with her?" Emma questions slowly.

"If you haven't already, then yes," Zelena snorts.

"And you pretending to be interested in me is going to make that happen? Is going to make her dump Robin?" Emma doesn't like the sound of this.

"I'm not pretending to be interested in you. You know I am, or was, before you put a stop to it. And hopefully, yes. Regina will come to her senses, see what is in front of her, what kind of lesbian fantasy she's denying herself, and dump him before things get any more painful and complicated. She just needs the right push to send her to her senses."

"Why can't you just tell her what you think, like a normal person would?" _Why all this scheming?_

"Because she thinks that I don't know anything and that she must do this because mother says so. That she must sacrifice her happiness."

Emma shakes her head. "You're asking me to do a whole lot for a woman I don't know." This whole idea is dangerous. Emma doesn't want to become involved in her client's life like this. It'll make the separation at the end all that much harder. It makes work and life blur all that more.

Whatever Zelena wants to say next is cut off when she catches the sound of clicking heels. Emma would recognize them anywhere.

"Quick," Zelena huffs out and before Emma can do anything the British woman's lips are on her. Emma lets out a small startled gasp before she sees Regina enter the bathroom and freeze. Emma's hands hang uselessly in the air as Zelena kisses her, when a loud throat clearing makes them both spring apart.

"You taste as delicious as I remember," Zelena drawls, stepping away and licking her lips. She turns and notices Regina. "Don't mind us. Just a little desert after lunch." She strides out. Regina's glare follows her out and when Zelena is finally done it lands on Emma.

"I told you to stay away from my sister." Her voice is sharp like stones that bite into the skin.

"She's the one who can't stay away. Guess I'm irresistible." Emma shrugs, doesn't know where this sudden brash confidence is coming from.

"Why aren't you listening to me? Why must you insert your life into mine?"

"I didn't do it purposefully. Your sister was the one who found out my phone number. She was the one who invited me here. So don't pin any of this on me!"

"You still said yes. You could have said no."

"She didn't tell me you and your fiance were going to be here. She only mentioned it was going to be me and her."

Regina pinches the bridge of her nose, lets out a long suffering sigh of one who has had to deal with idiotic people for too long.

"And I'm not going to get into this again with you. If you have an issue, pick it with your sister not me," Emma adds on and brushes past Regina to get outside. Once there she snags her jacket off the chair and throws down enough money to pay for her bill.

"Emma where are you going?" Zelena asks in alarm.

"Out. I forgot I have something in ten minutes. I've got to run."

"I could drive you there," Robin stands up along with his offer. Emma shakes her head, her jacket halfway on but she already fully ready to leave. She's ticked off and she doesn't know why.

No, she knows why. It has to be because of dealing with the human sized headache called Regina. Emma just gets so easily riled up around her. And Zelena is certainly not helping. Her hare brained scheming is not going to end well.

"I'll be fine. Thanks." And she rushes out.

* * *

She avoids Zelena's calls for a full week straight, because she doesn't want to be used as some prop. She doesn't want to manipulate Regina's life, doesn't want to trick her, doesn't want to pretend Emma and Zelena are dating for the sake of ruining Regina's day. Regina should have a choice about whether or not she wants to continue what she has with Robin. Emma won't make the choice for her.

She says as much in a text message, hoping that with it, Zelena will stop harassing her. It works and Zelena cools off with a quick apology text.

Unexpectedly, Regina still books Emma and right at the end of this week too. Emma's surprised. She thought Regina might hate her for what happened. Unless this is the final session, the session in which Regina explains she no longer seeks to continue Emma's services.

Emma waits stress-fully in her house on the date of the appointment, having gone around and cleaned everything up and even aired out the place so it'll smell fresher. She's nervous and antsy and can't seem to sit still.

Regina knocks on her door and Emma quickly opens it up so Regina won't be spotted. The woman is bundled up behind thick scarves and as she unravels them Emma catches a whiff of her perfume. It sucks the moisture from her mouth and she suddenly realizes how starved for touching this woman physically she is.

"Why aren't you in your outfit already?" Regina's tone is less than friendly and Emma startles at it. Okay, so the mayor is still ticked off.

"I wasn't going to assume anything. I know you're angry at me-"

"As I have every right to be."

Emma sucks in a huge breath. She really doesn't want to start fighting with Regina again. But that seems to be what the woman wants. "It's bad enough that you sleep with my sister and now you're beginning to court her?"

"Court her? Jesus, when were you born?" Emma cries out, her tight restraint on her anger slipping. Regina drops her jacket on the couch along with her gloves and other winter accessories.

"Are you fucking her? Are you?" Regina's nostrils flare and she takes a step towards Emma, the two of them so close they're breathing the same air. The mayor is trying to be intimidating and it would have worked if they weren't in Emma's territory right now. This is her place and she's not going to back down so easily.

"I'm not fucking her. It only happened once and I already told you I had no idea you were sisters!" They're screaming into each others faces but Emma doesn't mind. Doesn't care.

"I don't believe you. I saw you kissing her in that bathroom. There _is_ something between the two of you!"

Well, Zelena's goal in pissing off Regina had worked, but too well. And how come Emma was the one dealing with the brunt of it's results?

"Stop being so delusional! I already told you it was a one time thing that your sister continues to want to pursue. I don't!"

"That wasn't what it looked like in the bathroom-"

"Did you come here just to argue with me?" Emma cuts in, eyes flashing.

"I came here to settle things once and for all. I won't have a sex worker prying into my family life." But that is beginning to sound like a flimsy excuse to cover another issue up. An issue that Emma sniffed out last time.

And Emma thinks she understands something. Regina is jealous that Zelena got to sleep with Emma for free. Maybe that's what this is all about. And it's something that Emma can easily amend.

"You don't control me Regina. Not in the bedroom and not in my outside life," Emma says, low and menacing and she can see the shift in Regina's eyes, the pupils dilating and lids lowering slightly. Her hand comes up to painfully grip Regina's head and pull it to the side.

Regina lets out a small gasp of shock before Emma's teeth sink into the skin on her neck, marking her, claiming her as Emma's.

"You want to have me? You can't." Emma breathes between bites and alternating licks. She pulls down the sweater neckline Regina has on to expose more skin. "You need me? Too bad, you don't deserve to need me." Now a light kiss on the collarbone, Regina's hands coming to grip her hips hard. "I am not yours."

The hands on her hips turn violent, swinging Emma into the wall with a loud thud. It jolts Emma's tail bone and she gasps out this time.

"Don't let your job fool you," Regina growls into the hollow of Emma's neck as her hands roam under Emma's hoodie, scratching skin, feeling tight muscle. "I am the mayor of this town and thus you are under my jurisdiction as long as that is so. You will do as I say especially when I am the one paying you."

Now it's Emma's turn to grab Regina and spin her, right into the cabinet, rattling the dishes inside. Their lips meet, angry kisses that are more bruising than sensual yet erotic in their own sense. "Whose the one letting their job get to their head now? Just because you pay me does not mean you own me. I am a free person and I will do whatever the fuck I please."

It almost sounds like the two of them are trying desperately to put space between them, to draw the line between their play sessions and the real world again. To keep their lives and lusts separate.

But it's all just empty words thrown to the air. Emma owns Regina in these play sessions like no one else has ever before; there's no question that Regina would do absolutely anything for her if she so much as insinuated it. And Regina owns Emma not just because she pays her to do this but also because Emma is harboring feelings for her which the brunette knows nothing about.

Still, it's nice to pretend, even for a little bit that they are only beholden to themselves.

Regina spins her around, off the cabinet and into the kitchen wall. "Then neither do you own me." They pant words between kisses, hands shedding clothes and causing them to fall haphazardly onto the floor of the apartment. "Just because I submit to you does not mean I'm not afraid to fight back."

"Even if I don't own your mind or your heart, I own your body, because it craves me. Because you know no one else can satisfy you like I can." More frantic kisses between them, more heat. They're both down to their underwear now.

Regina shivers at that declaration, at the truth and at the way Emma nibbles on her ear. "Fuck you," she growls out, eyes slipping closed because she cannot think of a snappy comeback.

"No, I'm the one trying to fuck you. Now, let me do my job." And Emma plunges two fingers inside past the thin barrier of Regina's underwear. They rock against the wall, Regina cursing Emma's name at each shudder she manages to draw from her.

"I'll make things up to you, for being so involved in your life," Emma talks into Regina's ear so the woman can hear her. "I know I pissed you off by getting too close to your family life, and by sleeping with your sister for free while you can't have the same thing. So I'm doing this session for free, to even things out." She presses a soft kiss to Regina's ear. "So don't be jealous."

"I'm not jealous," Regina makes out past her moans as she rocks into Emma.

"I don't believe you. But if it makes you feel better, I'll pretend I do," Emma said cockily and then corkscrewed her fingers so hard that Regina's reply was cut off in a long drawn out groan that had her nearly dropping to the ground as her orgasm took her.

Emma grabbed her in her arms, held her tight as the woman slowly slide down the wall, Emma sliding down with her. Both of them were breathing hard and Emma's hand was covered in sticky liquid. She licked it up slowly so that Regina could watch the way her tongue curled around her fingers. Regina bit her lip, eyes darkening even more.

Finished, Emma dropped her hand with a satisfied moan. "You taste good, pet. Perhaps one day I'll savor you straight from the source."

"Don't tease me like that," Regina moaned out as her thighs rubbed together and her head hit the back of the wall. Emma decided to spare her a bit for now and so changed the topic.

"What, going to buy me a new wall now?" Emma jokes cheekily and Regina playfully swats at her shoulder. Regina did have a tendency to do that after they'd slept on something. The bed...the couch, and now the wall.

"I might buy you new wallpaper. Peach? Really? So bland," Regina plays along and she's much more relaxed. Emma prefers her like this but she knows it won't last, won't last outside of these walls.

Emma couldn't understand it. How could Regina be so perfectly nice, so human, when she was in play mode. But as soon as it was over she was a bitch. Rude, arrogant and indifferent. Was this because of having to be mayor? Was it all an act? Emma couldn't figure her out. And she told herself she shouldn't be concerning herself over it. But she did anyways. Because she wanted to be able to amicably get along with Regina. She wanted to see her smile, to hear her laugh, to...hell, she sounded so sappy.

To throw that off, she covers her soft feelings with sexual overtones.

"You can't say my sexual preferences are bland at all."

"No, no they are not," Regina says softly and Emma helps her up.

"Let's get to the bed." They can continue their activities up there.

"On your hands and knees," Emma orders and once more she doesn't have time to get changed into her dominatrix outfit. But slowly she's finding she doesn't need it-it doesn't do anything to temp down on her feelings for Regina, anyways, and she's in her apartment where she is the one in control and where Regina is at her mercy.

Regina gets on the bed in the position Emma asked of her, patiently waiting. "What are we going to do toda-"

"You don't get to ask me that," Emma grunts out as she fiddles with the buckles of her strap on. She's going to take Regina hard and fast, fuck out all the bad blood between them right now. "You just get to wait there and happily take whatever it is your mistress will give you. And you will be thankful for it, and you will get off on it, even if it's just one finger."

"Yes, mistress," Regina nods her head in agreement. She turns to look back but Emma is behind her and forces her head to look straight ahead. "I didn't allow you to look back. You're going to keep your head there until I tell you you can move it. Is that understood?"

Regina nods her head wordlessly.

"Good, pet," Emma purrs, pleased as she begins to rub the head of the strap on against Regina's soaked underwear. Regina let's out a shaky breath at the touch of the toy and begins to try to move her hips back but Emma holds them in a vice like grip. "Naughty pet, you don't get anything until I give it to you." Emma now slips one hand under Regina's panties and teases her folds, spreading her wetness around. "But maybe if you begged me nicely enough for it I could give you what you want?"

"Please mistress, fuck me good. Make me cum." The pleas burst out of Regina without a second's pause.

Emma hums thoughtfully while she continues her ministrations languidly, tortuously. "Do you want my cock?"

"Yes."

"How badly do you want it?"

"So bad. I want you to ram into me, to split me apart," Regina cuts off her own words with a needy little moan and her hips jerk back against Emma. Emma stills them once more with a tight grip.

That idea is very appealing and Emma swallows down a mouthful of saliva before she speaks, body shaking with the imagery conjured. "And just how good is my cock?"

"So good. So damn good," Regina hisses as Emma rolls down her underwear because the blonde finds herself wanting to be inside Regina already, wanting to be filling her entirely. Her hands shake and she takes a breath to calm herself. She can't let Regina's words get under her skin like that. She was the one in control here.

Emma was the one in control here.

But for once in her life, she wanted to let go of her control and just give in to what her body wanted. And that was to take Regina for herself. The mayor was dripping for her, so obedient and needy of what Emma could give her. What would it hurt to just let the control slip for a little bit, to just have them both on equal footing for once?

Emma bit down on the inside of her cheek hard.

No, those were dangerous thoughts. Very dangerous. She didn't want to lost control. She didn't. She kept repeating that to herself over and over because frankly the idea that she wanted to lose control around Regina was frightening. She'd only ever wanted to do that with one other person and it had not ended well.

"Mistress?" Regina's cautious tone drew Emma out of her tortured thoughts. Emma hadn't realized it but she had stopped moving, had been lost to the outside world. She covers it up with anger.

"So my pet is impatient. Can't wait a couple of seconds, can't be separated from her mistress's touch? How needy and pathetic of you." But even as Emma says those words, they are merely sentiments she feels about herself in this moment. How stupid and needy of her to want to give up her control to a woman who doesn't deserve it. Who doesn't even want it.

"I'm sorry mistress," Regina apologizes. "I don't mean to rush you."

"But you did," Emma says darkly to cover up the wavering emotions in her. She doesn't have time to think of the implications of her previous train of thought. Her hand traces up Regina's arched spine before it reaches her head and pushes it down into the sheets, the rest of her upper body doing the same. "So as punishment you're going to take my cock quietly, like a good girl. If I hear any screams I'll leave you high and dry, without even the option of pleasing yourself."

"Yes, mistress," Regina moans from past the covers and Emma presses in the tip of the toy slowly, inching it in until she bottoms out. Regina is already quivering with the weight and thickness of it inside her. But no moans of pleasure escape her lips. "Good girl," Emma praises, presses kisses to Regina's shoulder blade. "But can we keep it this way?"

She begins to move faster, to rock harder, and the bed shakes with their motions. Regina claws at the sheets, buries her sounds into them. And Emma tries hard not to forget herself in the smell and feel of Regina, in the sound of her.

"Tell me how good I feel," Emma demands past grunts and groans of her exertion. She's powering in as deeply and strongly as she can into Regina.

It takes several efforts for Regina's words to become legible. "Sooo good," she drawls. "Your cock is so thick. And hard. And big." All said between gasped breaths.

"I bet it's the biggest one you've had in you. The best one. I can fuck you better with it than any man you've ever slept with."

Regina gives a little whimper at that and by the way she's not saying anything Emma knows it's true. Her thighs quiver and Emma knows what's going to happen next.

"If you're going to come pet, you need to ask first."

"P-lease may I come?" Regina barely breaths out in time for Emma to give her permission before she's at her high.

When Regina comes, without any screaming just loud moaning, Emma decides to reward her.

"You did so well," she pants, pulling out. Her muscles ache and so does her heart but she needs to get Regina off again. Wants to see her come apart. Wants Regina to know with every ache in her body that Emma was the one who did this to her. "Now, you get to ride me."

And Regina does so very, very well. For three rounds straight until she collapses spent in Emma's arms to catch her breath before Emma maneuvers them into yet another position.

* * *

They had just finished their play session when the unexpected happened. Regina started to cry. The tears were silent at first, streaming freely and then her face contorted as if she was trying and failing to hold this all in. Her shoulders began to shake and her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. She couldn't believe that she was crying and tried to cover it up.

"I-I don't know why-this, I've never-" she stammered in explanation and looked on at her fingers which had gathered up the tears that had fallen. Emma knew what this was- it was a sub drop and for whatever reason Regina was having one today. Maybe it was the stress of the situation with Hook that had triggered this. Or maybe the situation with Zelena. Emma wasn't sure, but she sure as hell knew she wasn't going to leave Regina alone.

"Come here," she crawled onto the bed, tugging on Regina's shoulder.

"No, I don't-" Regina stubbornly resisted, but Emma wasn't having it this time. She forcibly dragged Regina down to the covers with her, encasing the woman in her arms, holding her close to her chest. "I'm not letting you go. It's okay." She whispered softly into Regina's hair. The woman made a feeble attempt to escape but soon she gave up, sobbing freely into Emma's exposed chest. Her fingers clawed at the small of Emma's back, helpless, begging for this to stop. All Emma did was make shushing noises and stroke a hand up and down the nodules of Regina's spine in a soothing motion.

It worked. Regina quieted down and eventually her breathing evened out. It became clear she was asleep and listening to the even rise and fall of her breath soothed Emma into her own slumber, the blonde dom dropping a kiss down on the crown of Regina's head before she could stop to think.

Shifting on the bed drew Emma out of her slumber but not fully, only enough that she was conscious to realize Regina was leaving. There was the rustle of fabric being slid on and Emma could imagine Regina pulling on her white shirt, followed by her dark blazer and then her pants and heels, the bed shifting as her weight changed. And it lifted up as Regina got up entirely.

But she didn't leave right away. Even with her eyes closed Emma could feel her presence, could feel the heat of eyes on her. And then the sheets were getting pulled up, over Emma's shoulders as if tucking her in. Emma could feel her heart begin to pound harder. Regina was tucking her in? Was Emma truly awake or was she dreaming?

And then, the warmth of a body hovering over her, the scent of Regina's perfume, poignant even with the smell of sex clinging to her. Gentle fingers traced the line of Emma's jaw, traveling up to Emma's hairline, pushing a strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. Emma positively froze at this action, too afraid to move, feeling like this was something too intimate, something that she shouldn't be witnessing. Like she's encroaching on Regina's darkest dirtiest secret by letting this happen. But it's too late to wake up now and so Emma keeps still.

Eventually the soft touch and heat leaves and the clack of heels carries Regina out the door and out of Emma's life for now.

As soon as the door closes Emma bolts up in bed, heart racing like she has run a race and face prickling where Regina touched her.

What was that?

Surely it wasn't affection from the surly mayor. No, it couldn't be. She had a fiance and a career that she wouldn't jeopardize by caring for Emma. She didn't like Emma, deriding her job position often. She only needed her for the sex and for someone to sling insults at.

But then what was that?

And why did it make Emma's heart clench so tightly?

Fuck.

She closed her eyes. Took in a deep breath. Exhaled. Pulled up a pillow.

And screamed into the pillow.

She could not be falling in love. Not with her client.

Not again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Adrenlize Me**

* * *

 _It's insane_  
 _That I can't get you out of my head_  
 _So take me_  
 _Use my body for sin_

 _-New Year's Day-_

* * *

"Swan. What a simple name. You sure you want it like that?" Ursula asked, teeth clenched around a thick cigar smelling of citrus and smoke.

Emma Swan, 24, with hard eyes and nothing else left to lose, nodded her head. "I don't need no fancy names to sell my shtick. My work performance will do that for me." She jerked her chin up high, shoulders squared: a bravado she was selling to get this job.

Ursula saw right through it. "I like the tough act, but maybe tone it down from street thug to elite pain dealer and you've got yourself a job."

Emma's demeanor almost shattered in relief. "Really?" she couldn't keep the hint of shock from out of her voice. She hadn't expected to get the job. She knew she had a good body and that her face was decent to look at, but she hadn't always had good luck in jobs. They often didn't want to deal with some whose past was as checkered as hers and she was beginning to lose hope, to think that her life would always be spent out on the street.

And she had turned to Ursula's Poor Souls venue as a last resort. She heard the drag queen wasn't picky and that he took care of his girls provided they did their work and Emma was nothing if not hard working. She didn't necessarily want to be a dominatrix but if it would put food on the table then what choice did she have? She wasn't going to keep living from paycheck to paycheck any longer. She wanted her own place, wanted to be able to afford food and new clothes on her back.

"Yea, really," Ursula chuckled, looking amused by her reaction. "I give almost every girl that comes up to here a trial run. You work for me for free for two weeks and then I determine if you're worth keeping on the team."

"I got it. You won't be disappointed," Emma said solemnly.

Ursula said nothing to that, just gave Emma a cool appraising look before waving her off with some paperwork regarding as to what the rules of the trial period were.

Emma would need to undergo a workshop on how to act and what was acceptable and what was not. And then she would be supervised on her first couple of sessions to make sure she knew what she was doing. Those were usually discounted towards customers, offered at a lower rate to make up for the lack of experience.

Emma went to the workshop and was relieved to see she wasn't the only one there. There were three other girls, all whom she didn't recognize from town. She diligently took notes, hoping to absorb as much as she could and when it was time for her first session she was given some generic leather outfit and settled into a room with low level gear that was suitable for both beginning subs and doms.

She was nervous, but she was able to hide her nerves well. In part it was due to the guy who was there, waiting for her on bended knee. He looked like those scum bags that used to give her a hard time on the streets and it wasn't hard to be rude to him, to be mean, to demand his subservience.

Emma found herself getting a high from this, from being able to control someone absolutely and get away with her vulgar behavior. She had never guessed it but given the chaotic nature of her youth, of the uncertainty of it, of having to deal with authority that often left her powerless, it all made her want control. Control felt good. It felt like she knew who she was and how to wield destiny to her own cause.

She wanted more of this. She might not be able to control her life, but inside this four walled room, this room of sin and shame, of leather and sweat, she could be master of all.

Ursula was pleased by her performance, though he did caution Emma to tone down the rough handling.

"Most customers won't mind, as that is what they are here for, but we mustn't assume all of them want it. Start out softer and then ask if they want harder, or adjust accordingly to their body language."

Emma nodded her head and paid more attention to her client's body language. It came easily to her, given how she had to rely on body language to tell if someone was dangerous on the streets or not. Yet there was so much more to it than just if a client liked a certain play or not. Their body told a story, a story of what troubles lay outside and what kind of toy could fix that exactly. If they had a wife or husband that they felt they had failed than getting whipped or smacked around made them feel like they were making up to their wronged spouses; to subside their guilt.

Emma found that being a dominatrix was more than just controlling her subs, more than just demeaning them. It was all about equal give and take. Subs would give their trust and their bodies into her hands. They believed her to be able to understand them and their needs and give them what they needed. And she expected them to be open with her, to not question her and to be hers in this time and place.

The training sessions passed quickly and it was no surprise to everyone there that Emma got picked up. "You're authentic," Ursula proclaimed. "You don't pretend to be something you're not and our customers can expect you to be honest with them, to be raw. Don't ever lose yourself."

And that was a warning Emma should have heeded but couldn't.

She was a zealous learner. She had to be because her future depended on how much money she could make. And she made a killing when she first hit the floor, when she first started booking.

She always gave her work her all, and the effort showed. Soon she had trouble finding space for all her clients. So she was given longer hours, more days and she kept building up steam, about to be one of the fastest new girls to have a secure kingdom in bdsm since ever.

But then she'd bumped into Lily and things had gone wrong.

A year after she had been signed up, a lucrative year because of her ever expanding client list, they first crossed paths.

Lily was charming, smart, witty, with a hint of trouble maker that enticed anyone. And she was a politician's daughter which made her fetish all the more fun to develop. As soon as Emma met her, she was swept off her feet by the woman. Their play sessions were always something else. More intense, filled with hot tense emotion, and sexual attraction that affected them both. Neither of them were good at hiding it and soon they could barely contain it within their sessions.

And that's when things began to take a bad turn. Emma knew the rules, she knew she shouldn't fall in love with Lily, much less encourage it. But she'd never fallen this hard and she didn't have anyone to turn to to help her with this. So she used her past experience with love, all of it unhealthy, to help her cope with this. And it had ended in disaster as natural.

They began to meet outside of play sessions, began to make plans on moving in together, on having a relationship with each other- in secret of course because Lily wasn't out to her parents. Emma had been serious about each word and intention. She had never belonged to someone. Never had anyone to want to tie her down so she lept at every word and suggestion Lily gave her.

Lily was never serious.

Emma found that out the hard way.

To Lily this was all a game. A way to rebel against her parents. She never loved Emma, never intended to be anything more with her. She only entertained the idea for fun. And when the time came for her to follow through on her promises she didn't, and when Emma asked why, she laughed cruelly at her and told her with no love behind her words that Emma was just a fun hobby to do.

Emma had been heartbroken and she couldn't go back to work after that.

Ursula had taken her under his wing and built her back up. He didn't say 'I told so you' because he had ardently warned all his girls about the dangers of blurred boundaries between work and real life. And Emma appreciated that.

It took her three months to go back to work. To stabilize. To be able to look at her room without thinking of Lily again. And Lily never came back after she'd shown her true hand to Emma. She and her family had moved away so she could do politics in Washington.

Last that Emma had seen of her, she was married to some bland man and on the Senate.

Emma indeed was a phase for her.

And after all that, Emma erected a wall between her and her customers. She never took on a woman customer if she could avoid it and Ursula respected her wishes.

Emma promised herself she would never let that happen again- would never let her heart be used and broken like that.

And then it happened anyways.

* * *

Emma got up and with a scream ripped her covers right off. She couldn't bare to smell Regina on them. Couldn't bare to see what Regina had given her.

Only three more sessions.

Only three more. She could do this. She really could.

Ursula had said she could always switch out early if it was too much, but to do so would be to admit that Emma was falling along the same path she had with Lily. No, Emma wouldn't do this. She'd see it out through the end and then she'd do what she was best at, and run.

But why Regina of all clients? Why her? She was rude and ornery and she didn't care for Emma at all.

Crushing on her had been fine, back when there was distance and walls between them and Regina was just a public figure whose interests and policies aligned with Emma's own. But now...now when they knew each other so intimately? When Emma knew what a massive bitch Regina was...

There was no explanation for it.

And that night Emma didn't fight to stave off orgasming too many times to the idea of Regina and of their recent play sessions, but she fought the tears that pressed at the backs of her eyes.

* * *

"Emma. Or should I call you Mistress Swan," Zelena starts as she enters into the lobby of Poor Souls.

Emma doesn't even attempt to hide her gaping jaw. "Zelena, what the fuck are you doing here?"

"You told me to find something fun to do in this town and I did."

"And your first idea was to find a sex service?"

"My first idea was to do you but that's not happening again."

"No, it's not," Emma said flatly.

"Just checking," Zelena winked. "Now I understand your whole 'I'm a top' insistence so much better. You're a dominatrix."

"This stays between us," Emma raised a finger in warning. "I don't need people in town knowing about what I do for a living, especially not your sister."

"Why not? She would love knowing that you-"

"No," Emma hardened her eyes, panicking on the inside. She did not need Zelena making a connection on why Regina and her act weird around each other. "I already have so much shit because of my youth, I don't need my profession adding to the mix."

"Oh, I smell a story behind that. Fill me in later," Zelena said as she tapped her manicured nails on the counter where Emma had been summoned to by Zelena. "For now, I'd like to see what the place offers."

"It certainly doesn't offer me. I'm off limits," Emma said seriously because she and Regina were on stable grounds and she didn't dare to fuck that up.

"You are no fun anymore," Zelena pouted. "What crawled up your ass and died?"

"This is my job and I take it seriously. Besides, it's not good business policy to mix real life and kink play. Someone always ends up hurt."

"I suppose there is sense there. Now, tell me what I can do here. I have cash I'd like to blow." She patted her purse enticingly. "And I wouldn't mind getting a couple of new design ideas based off of your dom outfits."

"Do you know what you like? Do any of the kinks we offer interest you?"

"I wouldn't be opposed to try BDSM. Can you take me to someone you recommend?"

"Someone to handle you?" Emma laughed teasingly. "I'll try my best." Emma beckoned with her hand and took Zelena deeper into the halls of Poor Souls.

Once Emma had scheduled Zelena with Mulan, (code named Empress) one of their more versatile girls that was good for beginners forging their way into this world of sin, Emma went into the changing room. She had a session set to begin in half an hour and she needed to get ready for it.

She found Ruby pacing the room, biting on her nails. The worried expression on her face did not look good.

"What's wrong Rubes?" Emma asked, opening her locker and getting her things.

"Nothing...nothing, it's just..." Ruby sighed, paused, and then began pacing again.

Emma had a sinking suspicion on what this could be. "Is it Belle?"

Ruby' s head whipped up to her. "Who told you?"

Emma chuckled at her deer in headlights look. "Nobody told me anything. I just know you. You fell in love with her, didn't you," and this was said more gravelly.

Ruby stared at Emma morosely before she nodded her head stiffly, afraid to say this outside the confines of her mind.

"Oh Ruby," Emma sighed in sympathy.

Ruby waved her pity away. "I know you told me. Ursula told me at the beginning of my job not to do it either...and I should have...I should have heeded the words more seriously. But I didn't think I would fall in love with her. I don't even like women like that," Ruby sat down with a huff, running hands through her hair. "But she just had this...special thing about her. And I didn't think of her as a threat and I didn't put my walls up and now...fuck, now I'm in this mess."

Emma knelt by her friend, taking her hand in hers. "Nothing can't be fixed. We can still make everything okay. You just need to distance yourself from her. You need to tell Ursula. He'll know what to do."

"But I don't want to stop seeing her. I want to have her." Ruby let out a ragged sigh. "But I know I shouldn't. That it's bad."

Emma sighed out. Oh boy, this was going to be rough but Emma was in no position to chastise her friend especially when Emma herself was falling in love with Regina. Secretly she vowed to herself she would talk to Belle in person and see how she felt about this. "I wish I could you help you more but I need to get ready for my client. Come talk to me later, okay? But also talk to Ursula. I'm serious."

Ruby nodded her head. "Thanks. I know you went through this so you know how painful this is." Then she got up to pack up for home.

Emma went to her session and when she came out, she didn't feel as satisfied as she usually did. She'd had a client that wanted to be walked on a leash and all the time she couldn't help but think on how much nicer the collar looked around Regina's neck. How much better she was to manipulate as a pet.

Emma squeezed her eyes shut and let out a silent swear. Yup, it was starting again. When she had fallen in love with Lily she too lost interest in servicing others. She didn't get off on her control over them, just kept thinking how lacking they were in comparison to Lily and the sounds and looks she evoked.

Shaking her head at herself she packed up her things and got dressed into her normal outfit of flannel and tights jeans. She was done for the day, having fulfilled a total of ten customers wants. When she exited the locker room she found Zelena waiting for her in the lobby. She was bright eyed and looked mischievous. That couldn't be a good thing.

"What happened?"

"I just had an interesting session. Empress is a good sub."

Emma stood there a moment, thinking Zelena was joking. When it became clear she wasn't, Emma's jaw dropped open again. "Zelena!" she said, scandalized. "Did you break one of our doms?"

"She was a dom?" Zelena fluttered her eyelashes innocently. "You know I'm a top, why send me to a dom?"

"You let me top you."

"Yes, but you fought me for it and won it square and fair," Zelena shrugged.

Emma heaved out a sigh. "I can't deal with you." Emma made her way out the door, the click of Zelena's heels following her out.

"Are we going to get sup now? I'm absolutely famished from all that."

"Only if you're paying." _Poor Mulan,_ Emma grimaced inside her head. She would have to make it up to her somehow. She should have expected Zelena to make a mess of things. She was a Mills woman after all.

* * *

Emma should have known from the moment she turned on the TV and viewed the report on the supposed scandal coming from the mayor's office that Regina would book a session with her. She just didn't expect it to be a full day.

The news was scarce with the information it provided but it was clear no one was faulting the mayor for anything, scared of the ire on her face. She had made several appearances on TV, proclaiming how she would get to the root of this scandal and that she had no involvement in it at all.

"I am appalled that something like this has happened. I have been honest in my means to achieving office and the fact that someone thought they could swindle city funding under my campaign is seriously delusional. I will stop at nothing to hunt them down and I hope the good people of Storybrooke will be by my side and offer me their patience as I get to the core of the issue," Regina promised, her tone scathing and vindictive. Emma would hate to be the idiot who thought it was alright to do something like this. He or she was going to pay heavily if Regina had any say over this.

The scandal had only been reported three days ago before Regina booked a session with her. Emma knew the mayor was stressed if something like this was happening and she would do everything in her power to make sure she could help the mayor relax. She asked Ursula to ask Regina if the woman had any specific preferences for food or drink. Emma would make sure to stock those because full day sessions, albeit rare and extremely expensive, were taxing on both the dom and the sub and food and sleep breaks were needed.

The session was from nine am to nine pm and Emma prepped extensively for such a thing. Emma had only had two full day sessions before and they were always draining more so on the sub than the dom because the sub took the brunt of the sexual acts. And Emma felt pressured to make this perfect because she truly wanted to take Regina's mind off of her job, off of her political issues.

Emma shaved until she was smooth like a baby. She washed and curled her hair and even cleaned up her apartment entirely. There was no telling which of these rooms they would be fucking in and Emma wanted to make sure they were all presentable.

She got her dom suit ready and did all her make up heavy. This time her suit was something new. She'd gotten a new one recently and couldn't wait to see Regina's response to it. For now she kept it covered up by a thin black robe.

On nine on the dot, the doorbell rang and Emma opened it up to see Regina hidden behind scarves and a hat and glasses so no one could make out it was her. Emma let her in and locked the door.

"Did you have breakfast?" she asked as Regina started throwing down her winter gear. Her shoulders were tense and there were bags under her eyes that even makeup couldn't cover.

"I was hoping it would be you," she responded with and Emma bit her lip to hide the smile playing on her mouth.

"It will be. But first, why don't we get you relaxed. You look like you could use a good massage."

"I'm fine."

"Regina, you're not," Emma said seriously. "And it's my job to make you feel good, so let me do it."

Regina minutely nodded her head, conceding. "I suppose a massage would be good."

"Excellent. Now sit on the couch and turn around. Many have told me I have magic fingers," Emma instructed and Regina complied. She sat down on the couch and Emma sat behind her. Emma could feel the heat and aggravated energy just radiating off of Regina from here. The mayor must be under tremendous stress. Emma would do her best to while it away.

She started out by letting her fingers run over the top of Regina's shoulders before beginning to move down and knead her shoulder blades and then spine and lower back before going back up and doing her neck.

Regina let out happy little groans and her posture became more relaxed. She leaned into Emma's touch and Emma swallowed thickly. She had it bad. Even this much made her want to take Regina on the couch.

She should have never agreed to do this session but she was an addict. She had to see Regina. How could she pass up on a whole day with her.

"Better?" she whispered, unable to speak more loudly for fear of revealing how affected she truly was.

"Much better," Regina purred.

Emma wanted to ask what Regina's touches those couple of days ago meant. The words sat on the tip of her tongue but she held them back. It would do no good to ask; only would make things awkward. Emma got up from her spot on the couch and circled around in front of Regina, taking out the collar and chain set she had pocketed in her robe.

She arched a brow up in question and Regina nodded her head. "Yes," voice shaking hard. It had been a while since she'd been collared and Emma was insurmountably pleased to slide the cool leather around Regina's neck. It was a snug fit there on that slender neck and it looked so good. Emma let her hands linger on Regina's neck, the pulse pounding underneath it before she clipped on the metal chain, a more delicate one. It complimented Regina's more slender build.

"On your knees," Emma hissed, tugging on the chain and Regina rose from the couch only to drop down onto her knees. "Still hungry?" Emma questioned lightly.

"Starving, mistress," Regina said and it was clear from how her eyes landed on Emma's concealed cleavage what she meant.

"Good." Emma cannot contain the pleased look on her face. "Worship me from head to toe," Emma orders, wiggling her foot into Regina's face. "Using your mouth only." She leans back against the table, lets Regina shuffle up to her on her knees.

And Regina does. She slides Emma's heels off, starts with kissing her little toe to her big toe to the ball of her ankle, lips searching ever higher, ever eager to please her mistress. She only gets up to Emma's lower thigh before she is stopped by the robe. Her eyes voice her question wordlessly.

"You may untie my robe pet," Emma said as evenly as she could, anticipation building in her chest at Regina finally getting to see her outfit.

With shaking hands the mayor undoes the tie and lets the robe fall to the sides. Her eyes hungrily take in everything before her and she lets out a little soundless gasp. Emma is wearing tight leather shorts that are so short they barely cover anything. They would be closer to a thick belt more than anything else. And the top is a crop top with a deep v neck and that ties at the back of the neck.

Regina resumes her journey up, more fervently now, hands clutching Emma's thighs as she plants her lips right at the seam between Emma's legs and kisses there, eyes daringly meeting Emma's.

Emma's hips jerk of their own accord as she bites her bottom lip to stifle her groan. She knows Regina can feel the heat there, smell the wetness. She can't let Regina in on how much on edge she is. She tugs on the chain, urging Regina up to her feet. "Being naughty, aren't you? Who said you could touch me there?"

"You told me to worship you from head to toe, so I was," Regina said with a tilt of her chin.

"But do you think you earned getting to worship me in that one spot particularly?" Emma's eyes are hard and her jaw set. "Do you?" she demands of Regina's defiant look. She winds the chain tighter against her hand and drags Regina closer to her. Their noses bump.

"No mistress," Regina admits, eyes dropped to Emma's lips. Emma specifically licks her lips, slowly, letting her tongue trace the top and the bottom. Regina unconsciously leans in closer to try to taste Emma only for Emma to jerk the chain so roughly to the side that Regina stumbles and grabs for the table to keep steady.

"You were thinking of kissing me, weren't you?" Emma's voice was a sharp bark.

"No, I wasn't-" Emma pushed Regina's upper body hard onto the table, letting her head hit the wood with a muted thud.

"You are being awfully defiant today, pet. I don't like that. Care to tell me why all this attitude?" Emma asked as she ran a hand down Regina's back, feeling the nodules of her back shiver under the touch.

"No."

"No?" Emma drew back a little, arched a brow at Regina's brazen behavior. This wasn't typically like her. The stress from work must really be overbearing. She was clearly going out of her way to be punished. Which meant she was feeling guilty about something. Maybe she felt like it was her fault this scandal happened?

"No." Regina reiterated.

"Take down your pants." Emma's voice was decidedly less friendly. "Now."

Grumbling, Regina let her hands snake down to her belt buckle, forced to undue it in an awkward angle because of the way Emma was pressing her head down to the table with her free hand.

There was the clink of metal and then the pants were sliding down, revealing smooth buttocks soon about to be deliciously marred. Emma moved back a bit, shaking out her hand in preparation. "I will need to remind you who is mistress here." One open handed slap, right on Regina's right ass cheek. "You do not talk back to me." Another slap. "You do not defy me." Another slap. "You do not get to touch me without my permission." Two slaps now. "And you most certainly do not get to think of kissing me without me allowing you." Three slaps.

Regina let out happy hisses, her sounds escaping onto the wood of the table and fogging it with the heat of her breath. Her hips ground into the edge of the table, desperate for release. Her panties were spotted with wetness.

"Am I clear?"

"No."

Emma's eyes bulged at this. "Did I just hear you say no?"

When Regina said nothing, Emma let the nails of her hand sink into Regina's scalp painfully and she leaned in over Regina, hissing into her ear. "Tell me I heard wrong. Because I clearly heard you say no."

Regina worked her jaw, refusing to look at Emma. "I said no." Her tone did not tremble.

Emma leaned away with a long sigh. Her palm stung from delivering all those slaps before but it certainly would not sting as much as Regina's ass would once she was through.

"Stay here," Emma instructed, half hoping Regina wouldn't listen so she could punish her more. Her veins were singing in a combination of rage, lust, and adrenaline. Emma turned to go get the riding crop she had laid out on the dresser table for use later. But it looked like it would be used now.

She tested it against her palm, enjoying the sharp sting of it.

Regina was no longer in the position Emma had last left her. She was leaning against the table, watching Emma. "What did I tell you? I told you to stay put," Emma snarled out, striding towards Regina and fisting her hair and yanking her head to the side hard. "What about that don't you understand?"

"I didn't want to stay there so I didn't." Regina was unrepentant.

Emma chuckled darkly. "You really want your ass rubbed raw don't you? I'm going to spank the disobedience out of you. Now bend over the table and stick out your ass."

Regina frowned but slowly complied, arrogance lining her face. She presented her ass to Emma, right cheek red from Emma's actions before. Without warning Emma cranked back her arm and let loose, covering Regina's ass with blows equally on both sides.

The woman held back her groans and grunts of pain and pleasure, squeezing her eyes shut to hide the tears brought on by the sting of it. Emma kept count out loud, reaching into the high tens before stopping. "Do you think you'll listen now, pet?"

There was a shake from Regina's head.

So Emma divvied out ten more, face flushed red from exertion and breathing hard through her nose. "How about now?"

Still Regina shook her head.

But Emma didn't feel comfortable continuing. If she did she could cause serious damage to Regina's behind and it was too lovely for that. Carefully constructing her words, Emma set the crop down. It was warm in her hand. "Regina, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm green," the mayor panted out.

Emma shook her head. "No, not in the play session. Are _you_...okay?"

Regina straightened up at this, spinning around to glare at Emma. "Are you prying again?"

"I'm not. I'm just worried for you. Because it doesn't seem your mental state is fine and I don't want you to push in this session just because of that reason. And I don't want _you_ to push and then get hurt just because you weren't in the right mental place," Emma explained as kindly as she could.

They looked on at each other until Regina finally caved under Emma's stare. "I'm...just tired," she admitted in a defeated voice.

Emma didn't say anything, just waited for Regina to fill in the blank silence.

"Go ahead, Ask me about the scandal. I bet you're itching to," Regina goaded and Emma shook her head lightly. "I don't want to. That's none of my business. And I'm sure you'll be able to handle it. I just want you to be honest with me and tell me if you're trying to make up for something that happened out in the real world with me right now. Because I'm not going to hurt you for the scandal."

When Regina said nothing, just looked away, Emma sighed. No matter how aroused she was, or how desperately she wanted Regina to stay, she couldn't compromise the mayor's sanity. She cared for Regina too much to let that happen. Emma knew all too well how easy it was to get carried away, to indulge in those dark desires. For her it was holding back from making too cutting of a remark, from striking too hard, from pushing her clients towards more pain when they couldn't handle it. For a sub it was about the level of pain they could take.

"I'll put some cream on you to take the sting away but I'm not going to continue this if you don't talk this out with me." Emma went to get the cream which she had also prepared before hand. She had never used it on Regina before and hoped she never would have to but today Regina had pushed too hard and there was little that could be done for all the lashings she had received besides putting the cream on.

Regina saw how serious Emma was and she looked like she was reconsidering. "Mistress, I...um," she stumbled over her words as Emma approached her a glop of the cooling agent on her fingers. "Turn around," she said gently and Regina did as asked, wincing when Emma put the cream on and began to tenderly massage it into place.

Regina let out a relieved breath as the heat on her ass faded away. Feeling more bold without having to look into Emma's piercing gaze, she began to speak, haltingly. "I...I may be using this session today to...to reprimand myself. I...I think it's my fault the scandal happened. I should have...I should have done a better job. I should have checked. I shouldn't...I shouldn't have trusted people in the government to be honest with me. They all...look down on me. Look for any reason to fault me. They think I'm worthless. That I'm some dumb bitch. Some...uptight dumb bitch. And when I do get things right, they fault me for that too." Regina seems a bit lighter after saying this. It feels cathartic in a way and so much more comforting than getting smacked. "I can't do anything right."

Emma has never heard such insecurities from the mayor before and she's surprised to see the confident woman feeling so downtrodden. She thought Regina didn't give a fuck about anyone. That she just powered on regardless of what others thought of her.

But she was only human after all.

"I don't think any of that is true," Emma began to a soft tone, done with the cream and wiping her sticky hands on her thighs. Regina got up, tentatively turning to face Emma. "I mean, I don't know much about you, personally. I know you can be a bitch, but you don't take shit from anyone. You're confident and you've got an amazing poise. Politically, I love all the work you've done. You help those out in need, those no one else helps out, or who are ignored by the people in power. And not to mention, you got elected in white ass Storybrooke where they have about one to zero percent people of color in power. And those are just in minor positions. And you're _mayor,_ " Emma said earnestly and she could see Regina's face soften up. Could see something darker leaving her eyes. Hesitantly Emma placed her hands on Regina's hips, thumbing them softly. "And, you're my pet. A wonderful pet at that. Typically," Emma crinkled her nose in humor and Regina smiled back at her. Emma had never seen Regina smile before and it simply stole her breath away.

It was a tentative and shy thing and made Regina look so open and vulnerable. Emma wanted to kiss it, to taste the smile for herself. And so she did, caving in to the warm feeling in her, the thump thump of love in her chest.

If Regina was taken aback by the kiss she didn't show it. Instead she melted along with it, their lips sliding perfectly together as the kiss hovered tenderly capture by their mouths. Regina's arms came up to wrap around Emma's shoulders, drawing her in close but not too close.

Kiss wrapped up they rested their foreheads against each other. "Want to take a break? We can resume in a little bit."

"I'm fine now. Truly." The smile was replaced by the smirk Emma was so used to seeing. "And I can't wait another second for you to fuck me."

"I thought you'd never ask," Emma smirked back. "And we all know what happens to naughty pets who ask and don't beg."

"What?" Regina shivered, voice lowering as did her lids.

"They get punished," at this Emma's hand slid to between Regina's panties, right past the material. "A lot." Emma sunk two fingers in, up to the knuckles. Regina gasped out loud. "And very hard." And she began to thrust in and out without pause, leaving Regina a shivering, cursing mess.

And because they were in Emma's place, they could fuck anywhere, at anytime. One time she had Regina bent over the sink as she took her from behind and Regina had cum so hard and so much that Emma needed a mop to clean up the tiles later. They fucked everywhere they could and even some where they shouldn't.

Emma made sure they took breaks for food and water and rest because this could get exhausting. During one of them she had Regina kneeling next to her seat, hands tied behind her back, only wearing her bra and underwear while Emma ate at the table. She was having some of Regina's favorite food. A perfectly seasoned steak and steamed veggies. Emma had special ordered it from the restaurant Regina liked to eat at in order to prepare for this session and it was worth the price tag given Regina's face.

She badly wanted what Emma was eating but couldn't have any.

"Mistress..." she whimpered.

"Do I hear groveling from my pet?" Emma said without even casting a look at Regina. "Are you unhappy with something?"

That was a loaded question for there was no way Regina could answer it without displeasing Emma.

"I,um, I-"

"Speak plainly pet, I do not have time to waste on your sniveling words," Emma said haughtily.

Regina licked her lips and tried again. "I was wondering if you would be so kind and generous to offer me a piece?"

"Was the water I gave you earlier not sufficient?" Emma asked as she cut a piece of steak and chewed on it, letting her eyes flutter shut as she enjoyed it.

"It was-"

"Then good. I shouldn't hear you demanding anything more of me."

There was silence as Regina sat back on her haunches, chastised by her mistress.

Emma wasn't truly going to deny Regina this, she only wanted to make her squirm.

She waited a few moments more before she relented and speared a piece of steak to the fork. "Open wide," she ordered and Regina did so, gratefully eating the meat offered to her.

"Do the arm binds hurt?" Emma asked off handily as she went to cut up another piece for Regina.

"They are beginning to cramp my arms but other than that I do not mind them," Regina answered mid bite.

"I'll untie them soon and then you can actually eat," Emma chuckled before feeding Regina three more pieces and going to untie her. With that type of play done, Regina was able to sit in the chair, rolling her neck back and wringing her sore wrists. Emma slid the rest of the meal to the brunette for she herself wasn't hungry for food but for continuing to interact with Regina.

It was ridiculous, that even though they both had the whole day together, Emma wanted more time with Regina. How ever was she going to go back to just a couple of hours with the woman once a month? Today was really spoiling her, and not Regina.

In between these breaks they would talk stiffly, awkwardly. Emma didn't know what she could ask the mayor without it being too private or intrusive and there was only so much that could be said about the weather or the latest movies playing.

"You don't have to hold yourself back," Regina interrupts Emma's latest attempt at levity. "I like you being forward with me." So Emma decides to give in to her curiosity and to Regina's insistence.

"Tell me something about yourself. Something that the public doesn't know."

Regina has a hard time thinking something up so Emma helps.

"What's your favorite color?"

"Purple."

"Favorite food?"

"Apple pie. I make a mean one."

"Do you? I'm not convinced until you let me try it."

Regina jerks up her chin, competitive look in her eyes. "I'll prove it to you."

And that's how the second half of their session starts with Regina making a pie for Emma. And it's damn good. The best Emma has ever tried. Warm, gooey, and topped with whipped cream and spice.

Regina watches Emma eat. "Enjoying my pie, dear?" she asks, cocky.

"I have to admit, you were right. This is the best damn pie I've ever had."

"Of course it would be. I made it." And Regina is deliciously arrogant more so than her pie. It should be a turn off, but honestly, Emma finds it pleasing. Too often women are not allowed to be proud of their work and if Regina has the skills and talent to back up her claims than she should take joy in her work.

"You'll have to give me the recipe," Emma says as she finishes up the slice, eyes closing and tongue licking the last traces of cream from the spoon. When she opens her eyes she sees Regina's citrine eyes tracing her tongue motions intently, eyes snapping up shamelessly at Emma catching her.

"Perhaps you'll have to convince me to give it to you," Regina suggests salaciously.

Emma grabs the chain hanging from Regina's collar and tugs it harshly, pulling Regina's stomach against the table edge so that it bites into her skin. "You are in no position to make demands of me."

The air around them shifts as their positions of power realign. "And while this pie is good, it is missing something."

"What?" Regina husks as Emma gets up, coy smirk on her face.

"You." And with those words Emma has Regina spread out naked underneath her, covered in whipped cream and innards of the apple pie. Emma diligently eats the snack off of her heaving chest, licking up every sticky trace.

"That's better," she purred and then plunged two fingers into Regina to get her off.

Seven pm sees them drained and tired, bodies too spent to continue sexual activities. They both could use a good warm meal, a shower and rest.

Emma's ready to order pizza but the scalding look on Regina's face stops her. "We are not eating that garbage. It does nothing but clog arteries."

Emma is a bit miffed at this. "Since when do you decide what I can eat?"

"Junk food is less energy producing than healthy food and I don't need my dominatrix collapsing on me during a session," Regina said as she pulled out some of the ingredients Ursula had told Emma to buy previously.

Emma snorts. "I'll be fine."

"Then I guess you won't taste my lasagna," Regina said enticingly. "And if my pie was delicious, than you can imagine how good the rest of my cooking is."

That certainly is tempting. Emma debates internally before putting down the phone. She is interested in the mayor's cooking. It is surprisingly good. She watches Regina make the lasagna, any offer of help she wanted to give, shooed away because the mayor doesn't want Emma mucking up her recipe. Emma has a moment of contemplation, almost laughing to herself at the fact that she has the mayor in her kitchen, cooking for her. Who would have thought that could ever happen?

Once it is ready to eat they settled down at the table, Emma laying out the silverware that she typically only ever got out for guests. The first bite is heaven. The mayor really has a way with her hands in the kitchen and not just in the way they clench onto Emma so tightly as the blonde fucks her.

"Good, this is so good." It hits all the spots inside Emma. Her hunger, her craving to have family cooked meals as a child, her taste buds exploding with the perfect combination of spice and cheese. "Robin is so lucky to have this," blurts out of her mouth and it takes her a moment to realize what she's said. Her heart pounds away in her chest.

Regina's smile is frozen into place and her hand movements are stiff as she plates more food onto her dish. "Yes, lucky," she intones monotonously.

And Emma kicks herself inwardly for that slip up; she knows Regina is unhappy with him, no need to rub it in. She covers it up by rambling with a story about her youth when she fell off a tree. Nothing like covering up awkwardness with an awkward story. Regina doesn't seem to mind this. She loves insulting Emma's intelligence for doing something so silly as climbing up a tree to save a cat that jumped out of her reach before she could save it and then had to be saved herself.

"I was a dumb kid," Emma agrees because she doesn't mind it so much when she can make Regina smile or even chuckle darkly. She cleans up the dishes and let's Regina take the shower first, hoping her selection of generic brand drugstore gels will be okay by the mayor's standards. And then when Regina is done, Emma hops in herself.

She tries hard not to think about today and fails. Because today feels like so much uncharted territory that she won't dare to think about. She also tried hard not to masturbate but she already knows that's not going to happen. She can never hold herself back when it comes to Regina. So as discreetly as possible she touches herself and hides her moans into the crook of her arm.

When she gets out the shower she finds that Regina is on the couch, lazily flicking through TV channels and the scene screams so domestic that Emma has to mentally and physically gather herself from the longing in her chest. She can imagine Regina sitting on her couch like this, in a fluffy robe, just watching TV with Emma.

Emma shakes the idea from her head. "You're staying?"

Regina nods her head. "If you don't mind." And suddenly she seems vulnerable. "I know I didn't pay for the full night- just until nine, but I just...I don't want to go back. If I do I'll have to deal with all that," Regina explains less than eloquently and Emma pretends like Regina staying over doesn't swell her with joy. She would jump up and down if she could right now.

"You can take the bed," she says, because she didn't think her heart could handle sleeping next to Regina right now. Another domestic scene that makes Emma upset and happy at the same time. Happy because she can get a glimpse of what she can't have, and upset because she clearly can't have it.

"Nonsense, the bed is big enough for two and I'm not going to kick you out of your own bed," Regina says and that is the end of that discussion. She pads over to Emma's bedroom, pauses by the doorway as if silently asking 'coming?' and Emma turns the TV off and follows after her.

So they share the bed.

They make sure to sleep on the extremes of the bed, space carefully maintained between them. Emma's heart is racing like crazy and she doesn't think she can go to sleep. Her body is buzzing like she's drank ten cups of coffee. She doesn't notice Regina can't sleep either until the woman speaks up.

"I'd...I'd like to thank you for today."

The apology sounds stiff and odd in Regina's mouth but sincere. Emma turns in to face Regina who she knows is looking at her because she can feel the heat of her gaze in the dark. "Why?" because Emma is genuinely curious as to why Regina feels the need to thank her.

"For...everything."

"Like?"

Regina lets out a huff of irritation. "Can't you take the damn thank you like any normal person?"

"Nope. I'm stupid. You gotta spell everything out for me," Emma props her head up in her hand and leans ever closer to Regina. From this close she can smell her lotions and shower gels on Regina and it makes her insides clench in a fuzzy feeling. It's like she's marked Regina. Like Regina is slowly becoming hers even as Emma knows it's just a wistful thought. Regina is the farthest thing from being hers. She has a fiance and a life in politics figured out for her. A life far away from Emma.

For a second it doesn't seem like Regina will say anything because she turns her back on Emma. But then she speaks and in a quiet voice. "Thank you...for checking in with me. I doubt many doms would have double checked with me, to stop me from purposefully self hurting. But you did. You knew something was wrong."

Emma slides in closer, aching to touch the outline of Regina's back. She's wearing her own night wear and it barely conceals anything. Such intimate wear strips away the mayor's many defenses, as does the dark, full of unspoken sentiments between the two of them.

"I..." Emma wets her lips, unsure how to answer this. It wasn't only because it was her job, but because she cares for Regina. How to convey that consternation without coming off as too needy? As too involved? "I care about your well being, Regina," Emma slowly states, trying to keep her words purposefully neutral. "I really do."

When the mayor doesn't respond to that, it's because she has finally fallen asleep, at ease due to Emma's words that take a weight off of her shoulders, that comfort her for some reason she does not understand. But Emma didn't know this, and she turned and sighed to herself, feeling insecure about admitting to caring for the well being of her client out loud. She closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep.

The next morning finds Regina's side of the bed neatly done and all her possessions taken, as if she had never been here.


	8. Chapter 8

**Adrenlize Me**

* * *

 _Naughty Christmas!_

 _-Lacuna Coil-_

* * *

 **A/N: So I got the idea to do a holiday themed chapter. The 12 days of BDSM as I like to call it. And yes, it's after Christmas that I'm posting this, but let's pretend it's not. Thought we could all use some smhuff (smutty humorous fluff) because of the more tumultuous chapters in this story to come.**

 _"_ Swan..."

Emma groaned into the phone she had blindly reached for from her bed. "Ursula. Please, no."

"I won't take no for an answer. You need to get your ass over here this afternoon."

"But you know how much I hate-"

"Every one of the girls is doing it. It's tradition and I will not be excluding you from it just because. You can grumble and moan all about it later, but I expect you to be there this evening or else you're not getting your cut this week."

"That is cruel. You're going on Santa's naughty list for sure for that," Emma groaned out as she sat up, raking a hand through her mop of hair.

"Sweetie, if that was a real thing I'd be so deep on his list no good deed would set me free," Ursula said, his voice husky from smoke this early in the morning already. "See you there."

Emma sighed and resigned herself to the fact that she was going to have to do as her boss asked. She didn't have to be happy about it, however. With another groan she got up and got dressed.

She arrived later that evening to utter chaos, with girls running around here and there, arms occupied with decorations. Emma was hastily thrust a monster of tangled string lights upon arrival. "What am I supposed to do with this?" she called to Ariel who had already run off.

"Hang them up!" was the quick over the shoulder reply before Ariel disappeared behind a Christmas tree. Sighing heavily, Emma pulled up a step ladder and started to get to work.

"Deck the halls with boughs of pussy, fa-la-lala, lalala!"

Emma sputtered at this. "Ruby!" she hissed, flushing at her song. "That is not how it goes!"

"Uh, pretty sure it does," Ruby said as she skipped by trailing garish garlands behind her. All the girls were working together on dressing up Ursula's place for the holidays. This involved lights, stockings, menorahs, and of course banners of Happy Holiday's strung up from the ceilings so as to be more inclusive.

The whole place was currently a mess with tinsel and ornaments and boxes everywhere and Christmas music blasting over the speakers they usually used to play seductive music on.

"Since when?" Emma huffed as she stepped onto the step ladder to pin up a coil of lights.

"Since I said so," Ruby bounced along below.

"All I want for Christmas, is dick, ba-by!" another voice added on to the crude songs. This time Emma glared at Tink. "Could you not? Some of us aren't vulgar 24/7."

"Sorry not sorry. You need to get in the festive mood," Tink said as she started sticking on plastic ornaments in the lobby of the Poor Soul's Club.

"I am in the festive mood," Emma grumbled out, trying and failing to untangle Christmas lights. She really hated these fuckers. With a passion. "I'm wearing a Santa Claus hat." And she was only because one of the girls had plopped it onto her head as soon as she walked in.

"And all I want for Christmas is for you assholes to hurry up and get this shit in place. I want this place as festive as a gay parade by the time we leave today," Ursula walked up, cigarette burning between his fingers.

"We still have a good 12 days before that happens," Emma pointed out, finally successfully having detangled an inch of the lights.

"Maybe we'd actually finish if you'd help us," Tamara added, juggling two boxes in her hands full of other tacky ornamentation.

"Then what would I be paying you for?" He huffed out, laughing throatily. "Swan," he barked up at Emma. "I need to talk to you in my office."

"Thank god," she muttered under her breath, happy to find any excuse for these stupid lights. As she left, following Ursula, he began to croon out his own version of a Christmas carol. "On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me, 12 vibrators vibrating, 11 whips a whipping, 10 anal beads a pullin', 9 cock rings-"

"You too?" Emma groaned out. "Why does everyone do this to piss me off?"

Ursula chuckled at this, opening the door to his office from which the Christmas music outside could no longer be heard. "It's because we're worried for you, Swan. Who are you going to be spending Christmas with?"

Emma drops her head at this. She feels shitty to have this topic brought up. Always the charity case. She hates people pitying her. She doesn't need that from her boss or her coworkers. "I'll be fine. I've got things to do."

"Cut the crap, Emma. We both know you don't have plans and there's nothing wrong with that. You're an orphan, you don't have a family. That's why you should come to our Christmas party. That way you won't have to spend the night alone."

"I said I'm fine." Emma hunched up her shoulders and put on a tough front. "I said, I have things to do." Maybe if she said it with enough conviction she could convince herself and them.

Ursula sighed and dabbed out his cig on his ash tray. The peppermint scented smoke aired out. "If you say so, but you know we care for you. We all do. We're only a phone call away."

"Right," Emma nodded her head, trying to bite back the big black hole of despair that was open in her stomach. A ball that was her loneliness and insecurities wrapped up all in one.

She could feel Ursula's stare on her back as she shouldered her way out but she didn't care. She just wanted to go home now and wallow in her misery.

She took the back exit to avoid the girls and sighed out into the bitter cold. The holiday's were always the worst because she didn't have anyone to celebrate them with. Yea she could call up the girls and chill with them before or after Christmas eve but not the day of it.

It sucked, sitting on her couch alone, eating tubs and tubs of ice cream. But that was better than the nightmares of the foster homes on the holidays. She didn't even want to think about it right now.

She went home, ignoring the happy couples on the street during her walk, and then collapsed into bed without taking her clothes off.

She awakens that morning to a phone call. Blearily she picks up the phone and answers. "Hello?" she croaks out, hoping that it's not Ursula calling to chew her out for ditching last night.

"Good morning!" Zelena screams into the phone and Emma pulls it away so she won't go deaf.

"Why the hell are you calling me-" at this Emma glances at the clock. It's one in the afternoon, so actually, it is a reasonable time. She doesn't finish her sentence, Zelena doesn't even give her a chance to.

"What are your holiday plans?" she hollers into the phone and Emma groans. "Do you have a mute setting or something? Why are you so loud?"

"I'm excited. And I want you to be excited too. Is it working?"

"No. Now what do you want?"

"I already asked you about your holiday plans. Are you free?"

"Yea, sure." Emma doesn't feel like lying. She's slept through much of her depression last night so she's feeling a bit better now.

"Great," Zelena thrills at a substantially lower volume. "Then come to Regina's Christmas party."

Emma is so still she's not even breathing.

"Emma? You still there?"

Emma doesn't think it's a good idea to go to Regina's place- to have people see her there. Especially after Emma finally got Regina to stop being pissed at her. "I-I don't know. I don't think I should-"

"Please, you need to come. Regina only ever invites politician's over and they're so boring and dry. Honestly, I could watch paint dry with more vigor than I could talking to them. It's like they suck my life force out in those conversations and I can feel myself withering away," she dramatically sighs through the phone.

"Then just avoid the party," Emma suggests, getting up to lumber to the kitchen to start her coffee.

"I can't. I'm obligated to go. Thus, so are you."

"Can't you invite anyone else?"

"You're the only one I know in this god forsaken town. Help me out."

"And what's in it for me?" Emma does everything with one hand- pouring the now freshly brewed pot of coffee and stirring in creamer afterwards. The dark liquid lightens up, almost hopefully. Emma licks the spoon for creamer traces.

"Getting to spend a splendid evening with me. I am highly desirable company."

Emma laughs. "I'll pass."

Zelena huffs but not with real hurt. "Okay, you get to spend the evening in Regina's glorious presence."

Emma doesn't say anything to this so Zelena barrels on. "Come on, I know you have secret feelings for her- or something for her. You aren't subtle with your staring. Wouldn't even getting her to smile at you be worth suffering the mire of old groping men?"

"That's _if_ she smiles," Emma hums, sipping on her drink. She pretends like Regina's smile wouldn't be fucking worth it, but it fucking is. She's only seen it once. She wants to see it again.

"I know she will, especially if you're there."

"But Robin will be there too. I can't talk to her like that. I can't even be seen there. What if someone recognizes me? I've servicing half of the politicians here because of my job."

"Semantics," Zelena said breezily. "We'll figure it all out. Just tell me you'll come."

Emma heaved out a sigh. "Fine, I'll come." She hadn't wanted to spend Christmas alone, and now it looked she wouldn't, but not in ways she wanted to.

She decided to call up her boss to let him know not to worry over her.

"That's good to hear," he said when she quickly told him what happened. "But I still expect you to come to my party. You have to."

"Can I bring a guest?"

"Bring the fucking pope if you want to, I'm game." And then, "Also, I sent you a little something to your house to get you into the Christmas spirit." He hung up and with light trepidation, Emma opened up her front door and saw a package waiting there. Gulping, she brought it back in and unwrapped it, seeing that there was a vibrator inside. A really pink one. Her cheeks were flushed and she put it to the side focusing on the note that was there as well.

 _To get you in the Christmas spirit, the girls and I all got together and got you some gifts. Expect 12 days of them. I was going to get you 12 vibrators, but nobody has enough orifices to fit them all in at once._

"I'm going to kill all of them," Emma said with a happy groan. She vaguely recalled Ursula singing about 12 vibrators last night and she wishes she hadn't cut him off so she could hear what the rest of the song was. It was Emma's only clue.

"Well, looks like the 12 days of Christmas countdown begins now." She moved the box upstairs, hiding the vibrator in her drawer so that she could use it later. It was high grade. Would be a shame to throw it out.

 _Day 12_

* * *

 _Day 11_

This day's package was big. The deliveryman gave her an odd look but said nothing as she signed off. As she dragged the package in she saw that someone had spelled out whips on it in big bold letters that could only be Tink's handwriting.

Emma sighed. There was no use in being embarrassed now about it. The man had already seen it.

She opened it up, finding eleven whips inside- half of which were the actually leather device and the other half which were whipped cream. "Real clever, Tink," Emma smiled and stored the cans in her fridge before boxing away the whips in her closet. Tink's note was brief.

 _Half of these are sweet and the other half are bitter. Make sure to balance them out._

Zelena calls Emma up that evening and tells her, no, orders her, to go clothes shopping with her. "You're going to need something nice to wear to the party and no, your dominatrix outfit does not count no matter how nice it looks."

"I wasn't going to wear it!"

"Shame, really. Could have made a few of those bores erupt an artery and make the night more interesting."

"And they call your sister the evil queen."

"We're both a little wicked. It runs in our blood. Now, meet me in ten minutes. We've got a lot of work to do."

And so they go clothes shopping, Zelena pulling out outfits left and right and making Emma try them all on. It's exhausting. Emma's never tried on so many clothes before. She usually settles for pulling on a simple dress and that's it.

In the end, Zelena settles on a suit and tie combination that screams chic but powerful. "She's going to love this," she says to herself and Emma wonders which she she's referring to. But Emma loves the outfit. It's her in a way and she's comfortable in it.

"Now we need to do some gift shopping," Zelena casually brought up, paying for Emma's clothes before the blonde could, and rushing them out of the store. "What are you getting for my sister?"

"Getting for what? I don't think that's appropriate! I don't know her like that."

"But it's her party and you should get her something."

Emma shakes her head. "I still don't know what I could even-"

"Just get her something from the heart."

Emma would rather give Regina her heart, but that wouldn't end well. No one woman was in position to have it.

* * *

 _Day 10_

Emma woke up to another package on her door step. This one a bit smaller. Emma took it inside where it would be safe from prying eyes and found several anal beads wrapped up inside it. This package was from Tamara.

 _Don't be an ass- try these out._

Emma rolled her eyes at the pun. How original. Not.

Those she also stashed away. Nothing wrong with free gear to use on her clients. Emma didn't really dabble in anal play because she didn't feel confident enough in that field. But, maybe one day.

And then done with that, she went to watch TV, avoiding any and every channel that had vague holiday related material on it.

* * *

 _Day 9_

Emma frowned in distaste at the cock rings in the new package delivered to her front door.

Tiana had bought these this time. _I know you don't have a cock- but your clients do. So use them?_

Emma shoved this box into the very back of her closet, where hopefully, it would never see the light of day.

And when she went to work today she punished her client extra harshly for daring to wear a tacky Christmas sweater. Her mood was getting fouler as the holiday drew nearer and she made sure to keep her radio off and to avoid streets that were decorated heavily with red and green and bright lights.

This year the mayor was going to light the Christmas tree in the middle of the park as usual and Emma found herself torn between wanting to see Regina do it, (all dressed in adorable green and red) and not wanting to see it because of the bad memories the holiday's held for her.

Feeling increasingly darker, Emma rushed home so she could eat some ice cream to bring up her mood.

* * *

 _Day 8_

Emma was having second thoughts about the party.

"Zelena," she hissed urgently into the phone. "I seriously don't think I should do it. The politician's there will recognize me and I don't want to jeopardize Regina's reputation."

"I'll just say you're with me-"

"I don't want to take the risk. This is my job we're talking about."

Zelena was quiet on the other end which gave Emma some hope.

There was a rush of air that the red head let out. "I suppose I was a bit rash. Don't worry, I'll come up with some way to make it work."

That wasn't what Emma was hoping for. "Zelena-"

"Don't worry, dearie, I've got this." And then she hung up, and no matter how many times Emma tried to call back, Zelena didn't pick up until it became apparent that she had turned her phone off to ignore Emma.

Emma let out an aggrieved sigh. Why did it seem everyone was intent on making her participate in a holiday she had no wish to be involved in?

There was a ring on her door that signaled the arrival of yet another package. She quickly signed off, the delivery guy (the same one these past few days) eyeing her strangely. "Sure got a lot of packages," he said curiously.

"My friends are dicks," she told him and hurried back into her apartment.

And upon opening her package she found- "dicks. Great." There were eight dildos inside, all of them varying sizes and colors. And all of them from Ruby.

 _In case you needa dick around :)_

That box too went deep into her closet. She wondered what the retail value on them would be.

* * *

 _Day 7_

Despite Emma disliking the holiday, she did owe her friends some presents. So she braved going outside for this, huddling up warmly behind her tan scarf and employing headphones blasting rock music to tune out the holiday music that would be playing in the mall.

Since her friends and co workers were all being assholes to her, she was going to get them gag gifts. And she knew just the store for it. Spending easily over a hundred dollars for their gifts, she grabbed the Christmas-y wrapped bags and booked it out of there, head lowered and not at all minding where she was going. That was why she bumped into someone.

"Would you watch where you're going!" the indignant voice huffed as Emma dropped one of her bags. "Sorry," she mumbled out, bending down to pick it up and noticing the heels. There was only one person that would wear heels in this weather in Storybrooke.

"I should have known it was you," Regina said, lips twisting up almost as if to hide her amusement when she and Emma were finally face to face. She was wearing a blue peacoat and she had on a little beanie that made Emma want to squeal like some fan girl at the sight of it.

"Regina," Emma breathed, hating how flushed her cheeks were becoming.

"Christmas shopping?" Regina eyed Emma's gifts distastefully. "Cheap tastes I see."

Emma felt the need to defend that. "Not cheap tastes. No. I only get the best for people. But only if they deserve it. My friends and co-workers are being assholes to me as a prank so...I'm getting back at them by getting them shitty gifts."

"Hmmm," Regina hummed unconvinced.

They were standing too close again, something crackling in the air between them. Emma found herself unconsciously leaning in before she caught herself and took a step back. "I should go now. Wouldn't be good if people saw me with you. NDA and all," she mustered out, still not quite leaving.

"Right," Regina looked as if someone had shaken her awake. As if she'd forgotten who Emma was.

"See you," Emma hastily waved and walked off, feeling like such an idiot. Could she not act normal around Regina at all? Fuck, she had it worse than she thought she did. Pinching her nose she tried to stop thinking about her meeting with Regina.

And when she got home she found a package with ropes waiting for her from Mulan. _Some ropes to tie up your loved ones. Zelena used some to tie me up. Please don't bring that woman back here ever again._

Emma cringed at that. Right, she still owed Mulan big time for taking on the human tornado known as Zelena.

The ropes were hefty but made of high grade cords so they wouldn't rub too much on a sub's wrists. Emma could just imagine Regina bound in them, the ropes tying her hands back, linked in between her breasts and making them stand out.

Emma stroked the ropes thoughtfully. Maybe Regina one day would want to be strung up during play. The idea excited Emma immensely.

* * *

 _Day 6_

"Why are you going through my closet?" Emma asked warily as Zelena tore it open and began to look through it.

"I'm looking for disguises. Disguises you can wear for Regina's party."

Zelena had called up Emma, bullied her home address out of her, and then promptly shown up, insistent as all hell that Emma had to be at Regina's party. Emma knew the woman was scheming something but she couldn't tell what. All she knew was that she had made it abundantly clear that she would not be meddling in Regina's love life.

"Well you won't find any. Just a closet full of leather." Emma said, rolling her eyes.

"Ooooo, what's this?" Zelena cried out, finding one of the many gifts Emma had been receiving this week. The Brit shook the box containing the dildos.

"My friends from work have been sending me gifts. Like the 12 days of BDSM. So far I've gotten vibrators, whips, cock rings, dildos and anal beads."

Zelena's face took on a mischievous shade. "Do you happen to mind if I borrow them?"

"Eww," Emma wrinkled up her nose. "If you're thinking of using them and then just giving them back to me, you can keep them."

"I wasn't going to use them," Zelena rolled her eyes as if this should be obvious. "Well, not for those purposes. But for something else."

"As long as it doesn't involve me than I'm fine," Emma threw her hands up in the air. "Now can you leave my apartment. I never invited you inside."

"You are a terrible host, you know that," Zelena huffed out as she scooped up all the boxes. "Help me carry these to my car so I can take them off of your hands." She took one box and Emma grabbed some of the smaller ones. They got to the front door to see that the delivery boy was there with yet another package. This one the smallest one yet.

Unhappily Emma signed off and handed the package off to Zelena. She didn't even want to know what was inside.

But Zelena informed her anyways once they had shoved the boxes into the trunk of her expensive car which was as expected, green. "Butt plugs!" she announced happily and loudly. "From a woman named Ariel."

"You can use those. I really don't care for them."

"Really, Emma. What kind of a woman do you take me for," Zelena pretended to be insulted and Emma rolled her eyes at her this time.

* * *

 _Day 5_

As the holiday's got nearer, unsavory memories began to resurface for Emma. Memories that manifested into her dreams, turning them into nightmares. And they were always the same dreams. Of getting locked outside for punishment at one of her foster homes- almost freezing to death in her thin sweater and socked feet while they ate inside the house, ignoring her misery visible through the bay windows. Of no presents for her, only a cane that was used to whip her for being naughty. Of a foster father drinking heavily and then locking her into a small closet and forgetting about her for three days while she starved inside.

All different houses, all different horrors, but enough that she could not enjoy the holiday's.

They made her twist and turn in bed, sweat through her sheets.

She sat up with a sigh, glaring angrily at her clock and at the numbers spelling out three am. Her arms ached where she had been struck by the cane all those years ago.

"Maybe I should get therapy," she said to no one in particular and went to her kitchen to make some coffee because she would not be sleeping tonight.

That morning she got five pairs of nipple clamps from Jacinda that she decided she would give to Zelena later on, as well as the rest of her upcoming gifts. That way someone would benefit from them.

* * *

 _Day 4_

Today was the day of the work Christmas party and Emma had no intention of going. Every girl knew her sob story background and she had no wish to be there where everyone was going to pity here because they knew she had no where else to go. She was just going to eat her feelings away and watch some horror films instead.

Emma had just settled down with a new tub of ice cream when the front door rang. She wondered who it could be at this hour. She had already gotten her package for the day, four handcuffs from Sabine with a note that said _It's cuffin season,_ so it couldn't be another gift. She could make out some voices from the other end. They sounded familiar. She cracked open the door to see Ruby, Mulan and the other girls from Poor Souls here, all wearing some form of Christmas cheer.

"What are you doing here?" Emma asked slowly, blinking owlishly.

"Oh, did we forget to mention that the Christmas party's at your place?" Ruby said too innocently.

Emma blinked really, really, slowly as if the image before her could go away if she did. "A Christmas party at my place? Since when?" They were still here. Damn it.

"Since we decided you wouldn't come to ours. So we came to you," Ursula's thick voice said from somewhere in the back. "Now, are you gonna let us in Swan, or are we going to freeze our tits off on your front step?"

Numbly, Emma stepped aside to let them all in. Each of them was carrying a plastic bag of some sort. And as Emma watched, they all took their coats off and their hats and began to take the stuff out of the plastic bags. Some of them were decorations, others were plastic utensils, others had food and drink.

"You not helping?" Tink asked as she plugged in a string light before tossing it up on one of Emma's shelves.

"Uh, sure, I guess." Emma shook herself awake, still feeling a bit bewildered by all this. Hastily she shoved her uneaten ice cream back in the fridge before she helped take out the food and set the table. It was a tight squeeze with all the girls here and they sat wherever they could. Holiday music was turned on, another Santa Hat was thrown onto her head, and dinner and drinks were served.

"How'd you like our gifts?" Sabine asked, smiling cheekily.

Emma rolled her eyes as she plated some roasted chicken onto a Styrofoam plate. "You are all assholes. So I got you asshole gifts in return."

"Can't wait to open them," Sabine smiled.

"Not going to invite your friend to the party?" Ursula asked from Emma's left.

"I didn't know it was going to be in my place."

"Well you know now. Bring them in, the more the merrier."

Emma nodded her head stiffly, unable to process emotionally what was going on. She couldn't believe they had relocated a whole party just for her. If she thought about it too much she'd burst out into tears and she was sure no one wanted to see her ugly cry.

She called Zelena over, because she'd promised the woman fun. Except Emma once again forgot about the little incident between Mulan and Zelena until the red haired woman came over. "I'm here!" she shouted out as she made her entrance and spotted Mulan across the room like a hawk spotting it's prey. "Why hello dearie!"

Mulan saw her, her cheeks flushed, and she ducked into a side room muttering "oh hell no," under her breath.

Suffice to say that the rest of the party was chaotic fun. There was drinking and dancing and lots of laughter and chatter. Zelena would chase down Mulan and bother her, making the poor Asian woman flush before she would escape to the side or hide out in the bathroom. Somewhere around the middle of the evening Mulan and Zelena disappeared entirely. Emma had no idea what they were doing but she figured as long as it didn't end up with one or the other trying to hide the other's dead body, things were okay.

Once three in the morning struck, Emma was feeling certainly more festive. The party was ending but she could say it wasn't a bad one. No bad memories had struck her and she didn't feel filled with despair. Though that may have to do with the alcohol more than anything else. Slowly by slowly all the girls trickled out until it was only her and Ruby and Tink left behind to clean up the mess.

"I appreciate this, you know," Emma started, tasting her words carefully. Tink and Ruby are the only ones who know the true story of what's happened with her past holiday's and so they know the true depth of this for her.

"You don't need to do soft on us," Ruby smiled. "We just wanna replace all your bad memories with good ones."

Emma smiled at that because she didn't know what else to say, except to draw them in for a hug. "Let the other girls know that I'm thankful, okay?"

"We will," Tink assured.

The clean up finished around four and Emma bid the girls goodnight before going to knock out. She was drained but happy, something she hadn't felt in a long time.

* * *

 _Day 3_

The next day she woke up to a pounding headache, cursing herself for being so liberal with drink and not hydrating enough before bed. She contemplated staying the whole day in bed and just binge watching Hulu shows when her phone rang. It was Zelena. Why was she calling so early in the morning? It was only ten.

Emma answered the call and kept the phone a good two inches away in case Zelena started screaming again. She had the tendency to do that.

"Hello?"

"And a good British morning to you!" Zelena crowed, loudly, as predicted.

"Why do you always sound so chipper in the mornings? It's inhumane," Emma groaned out.

"You would sound like this too when you got a good lay last night."

"Really?" Emma sat up at this, intrigued. "Who? Who was crazy enough to sleep with you?"

Emma can practically hear the smugness from the other end of the call. "Guess."

"I don't know..." Emma trails off, rubbing her still pounding head. Her facilities are not up for a mystery right now.

"It's Mulan."

Emma nearly chokes on her gasp. "What?! She let you sleep with her?"

"Don't be so shocked, dearie. I am irresistible."

Emma didn't have anything to say to this. "That explains both of your absences last night much better. I thought you were out torturing her or something."

"Well, there was some light torture. She really likes being whipped. Did you know that?"

"No, I didn't, and I didn't want to," Emma closed her eyes, not needing that imagery in her head.

"Anyways, that is not the reason I called today. I called to remind you to get a gift for Regina."

Emma groaned. "And I told you I didn't think it would be appropriate to do so-"

"Emma, it's her party. You need to bring something. Even I'm bringing something."

"And what are you bringing?"

"My magnificent self."

"And I can't do that either?"

"Let's be real darling, you're not up there just yet."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Don't forget the gift. Ta ta!"

Whelp, looked like Emma would have to get Regina something. But what? She only knew one of the woman's hobbies and that wasn't a gift that could be given out in the open. Emma fetched her laptop and pulled up her favorite BDSM shop website. Maybe it could be a gift that Emma could use on Regina during their play sessions. If Zelena asked what it was, Emma could lie and say she would just give her a gift card.

Scrolling through the page, Emma's eyes landed on the most beautiful collar she had ever seen. It was slim and black and made of smooth Italian leather with a small jewel on front. Emma could already envision it on Regina's neck. It would be perfect there. Not too large and overbearing but not too small either. It was effeminate like her and would successfully mark her as Emma's property.

Emma clicked on the buy option without any further preamble and hoped it would ship in time. The only package that arrived on her doorstep that day was yet another BDSM item from the girls at work. This one from Cindy- three blindfolds that were made of spun silk.

* * *

 _Day 2_

Emma just manages to hide away the package containing 2 gags before Neal and Belle come over bearing gifts of drinks and food.

They always hang out together the morning of Christmas Eve and it's a nice chill affair with them watching movies, drinking beer, playing games and exchanging gifts that they've gotten for each other.

When three hits they've got to go home to their own families to celebrate. But before they can go Emma snags Belle by the arm. "We need to talk," she says in a low voice so Neal cannot overhear and she tilts her head in a manner indicating what the talk will be about.

"Oh, okay." Belle's Christmas joy settles down. "Neal, I'll catch up with you later. Go on ahead."

"You girls always stay behind to talk," he says in good nature, shaking his head. "I hope you're not talking about me."

"Please," Emma scoffed playfully. "You're not popular enough for that."

Neal placed a hand to his chest. "Oh how you wound me." But he finishes getting dressed for the outdoors and leaves with a quick goodbye.

"Is this about Ruby?" Belle asks, already well attuned to the issue at hand.

"Yes," Emma nods her head, gets straight to the point. "I want to know how you feel about her. Ruby's my friend too and I don't want her job being compromised because of something between the two of you."

Belle takes a deep steadying breath and she looks frightfully close to tears. "I didn't mean for it to go so far. It was only supposed to be about finding a release. Getting rid of some of my stressors. But then I...I developed feelings for her. The sessions became personal. And...and I don't want to get her fired."

"You care for her."

"I do," Belle confirmed. "But I don't think she cares for me the same way. And I won't let my feelings get her in trouble. If need be...I'll stop visiting her." Belle hung her head petulantly.

Emma let out a relieved sigh. She had been worried that this might be another Lily case. That Ruby was going to get devastated. But Belle cared for Ruby, and knowing Belle, she meant it and it wasn't just some silly infatuation bred of the play sessions. "You need to talk it out with her. Get everything out into the air."

"How? I don't have her number." Belle looked hopeful at this.

"I'll give it to you. But talk it out. And I seriously mean it. Because I don't want anything bad to happen to the both of you. I care for you both." Emma scourged around for a piece of paper and pen and scribbled down Ruby's number.

Belle nodded her head gravelly. "Understood." She took the paper and kissed Emma on the cheek before rushing off to go home.

Emma sighed. And now she had one last day to Christmas. The countdown to hell began.

* * *

 _Day one_

"Zelena, this plan is stupid. And I will murder you if it goes tits up," Emma moaned as she found herself on Regina's mansion's doorstep, holding a big sack over her back. A sack that Zelena had filled with items that Emma knew nothing about, all she knew was they were heavy as fuck.

"The only thing going tits up is you," Zelena whispered, pushing up Emma's tits in the tight red bodice she wore so that they looked better. She was freezing her ass off in the costume Zelena got for her in order to keep her identity secret from the politician's inside.

Zelena herself was wearing a dark number that brushed the floor and exposed generous amounts of cleavage. "Just remember, remain in character."

"I don't feel in character. I feel me, and exposed." Emma was in a too short Santa dress and had her blonde locks covered up by a silvery haired long wig and matching Santa hat. And her face was done heavily with makeup. Red lips, green eye shadow, and candy canes dancing across her cheeks. She didn't think she'd fool anyone like this.

"And I'm telling you, you look good. I barely recognize you, Miss Santa Claus. All you're missing are your ho ho ho's!"

Emma rolled her eyes at this but before she could say more, the door opened up to reveal the butler. Since when did Regina have a butler? He eyed them warily. "Zelena Mills," Zelena held out her fancy invitation. "And my plus one."

He took the card, looked it over and then looked Emma over, as if she was a possible threat. He seemed skeptical of her being an actual guest. "Come right on in," he said at last and took their coats from them.

Already Emma could hear the classical music and the urge to yawn filled her so strongly that she almost gave in. The place was dressed jolly, with wonderful looking wreaths hung up and the smell of pine trees and holly drifting strongly through the air. But what took Emma's attention first and forth-most was the buffet tables. Full of drink and expensive rich people snacks. It looked like one good thing would come out of this. "Well, looks like I'm going to entertain myself by binging myself into a coma."

"Before you go, we got some company come to talk to us," Zelena pointed out and Emma saw that Regina was looking at them- no, glaring at them- from across the room before she excused herself from the man she was talking to and strode over to them, body tensed with anger.

"Shit. We are in so much trouble." Emma didn't enjoy fighting with Regina, or even having her upset at her. And she knew there was going to be a fight here.

"It'll be alright," Zelena said without any real perception of danger and eagerly, like she lived to make her sister's life difficult. Emma shifted the bag on her back, her grip going sweaty.

"Zelena, what is the meaning of this?" Regina growled out lowly, fake smile on her face so it looked like she was merely greeting her newest guests. She eyed Emma distastefully, and in a manner that seemed like she could see right through her disguise.

"I brought a friend like you told me too," Zelena smiled brightly.

"I meant anyone other than Miss. Swan."

Ah, so Regina had seen past Emma's disguise. Whelp.

"You know no one else in this town is worth my time," Zelena defended and Emma would feel warm at those words of praise if she wasn't so worried as to what Regina would do to her because of this.

"And in such a garish costume?" Regina waved to it and Emma felt incredibly self conscious in it.

"Well, Emma has...previous acquaintanceship with some of these gents here and she'd rather not attract attention to herself, but she still wanted to come keep me company." That was a tasteful way of phrasing Emma's job, and to anyone who did not know of Emma's job it would be vague as hell, but Zelena didn't know that Regina knew all about Emma's job. Her smile evaporated and the hand holding her glass tightened until the knuckles were white.

Shit. That wasn't good.

"Come, sis, where is your holiday spirit?"

"Gone, along with my patience for you and your schemes. Zelena, this is an important event! The groundwork for future politics of Storybrooke is laid out here," Regina hissed out under her breath. "This isn't some club!"

"Relax," Zelena appeased. "We'll stay out of your hair. You won't even know we're here."

Regina tightened her jaw but there was nothing more she could do without coming off as rude. Without another word she turned on her heel and went back to schmoozing rich men and women. They had won free passage into Regina's party strangely enough and Emma hurried along to the booze table, needing something to steady her nerves. Zelena followed after her, pleased at herself.

They rotated between the drinks and the food, chatting and making fun of the stuffy men and women trying to flatter Regina. The whole night she did not spare a single glance at them, though Robin who was around would stop by and talk to them in short bursts to see how they were doing. Zelena told him it was Emma under the costume and he seemed delighted to know she had come.

The other politicians ogled her in the outfit and when some got drunk enough, they came up to talk to her and she made up some bullshit reason about being hired to make the party more Christmas like. They believed her and eventually left her alone. Thankfully, because in order to bear their presence she needed to gulp down the champagne and eggnog here like water. She had lost track of how many she had by now but the room was at a good 45 degree tilt. And Zelena's red hair was looking extra bright.

At ten the party was beginning to dwindle down and Emma couldn't be happier. She now fully understood Zelena's earlier desperation at not having to come here alone. Rubbing elbows with politicians was boring. But, rubbing something else entirely with one specific politician- now, that was more interesting.

Zelena had dipped to go to the bathroom, while Emma remained stationed diligently by her post at the buffet table, nearly sunken into the couch cushions and eyes drifting open and closed, heavy with drink. She sipped on her eggnog, wondering when she could go home. Alcohol was making time fly by faster but not fast enough.

"You know eggnog is full of calories that go straight to your thighs," a low voice said quietly and Emma turned to see that the mayor had finally come up to join her under the guise of refilling her drink. It made her feel a whole lot more awake.

"Good thing I have a job that requires a lot of strenuous activities," Emma murmured back, smirking at Regina who bit her lower lip as her eyes raked over Emma's barely clad form. The look made Emma feel hot all over. Made the air crackle between them.

"Yes, it certainly seems like your thighs are fine. More than fine," Regina purred and Emma had to gulp down her drink before she did something stupid, say like lunge across to Regina and kiss her in the middle of her party. Regina's eyes eventually came up from their trip between Emma's thighs and up to her face where hunger was written plainly across it. It seemed the few drinks of wine she had had, had loosened something in her. Had weakened her poker face.

"I actually had a few questions about your job. If you wouldn't mind coming to speak with me. Privately." Regina strode away before Emma could even answer, her back straight and hips swaying with each step enticingly.

Emma gulped, quickly poured herself another drink and drained it before thunking it onto the table and going after Regina with her sack of goodies. She followed her up the stairs to a bedroom Emma knew all too well. The lights were off but the door was open so Emma let herself in.

"Regina?" she called out tentatively and the gasp she let out was smothered by a warm mouth on hers as she was backed up into the door till it closed, dropping her bag during the assault.

Regina's lips were pressing hard into Emma's, kissing her for all she was worth while the mayor's hands roamed up and down her body, grabbing greedily at everything.

Emma was more calm, only because she was all too aware of one thing. "Robin is still here. And so are some of your guests," she panted out when she pulled her lips away.

"So?" Regina practically growled out, flicking her tongue out along the tendon of Emma's neck. "How do you expect me to behave when you walk in dressed like this, teasing me all evening long?" She tossed the hat and wig off of Emma's head so she could rake her hands through the long locks, prompting a heavy groan from Emma's mouth. The combination of alcohol and lust in her veins is making it hard for her to make the right decision.

"Come on, Santa. Have I been naughty or nice this year?"

"Naughty. Definitely naughty. Especially in this dress." Emma gripped the edges of it, hiking it up so she could slide a thigh in between Regina's legs. "Like it was made to be fucked in." Regina moaned in relief at the friction she was getting by rubbing herself onto Emma's strong thigh. But it wasn't enough.

"Mistress, more," she pleaded.

"Get on the bed. Keep the dress on."

Regina did as instructed while Emma went and spilled all the items from the sack out. The moonlight through the window was enough to illuminate the items. She knew Zelena had had a mischievous plan for them. She just knew when that sharp hard point bit into her back that it was a whip and suddenly everything pieced together.

Emma deftly picked out some necessary items and approached Regina who on her knees and hands on the bed, facing away from Emma just like Emma liked it. "I'm going to use some new toys on you, pet. This," she dangled the gag in front of Regina's face so she could see it. "So that you can stay quiet and our guests won't hear you. This," she held up the handcuffs next, "so that you stay put like a good girl, and this," she picked up the last item, the whip, "so that I can punish you for all your naughty behavior this year. Are we clear?"

"Yes," Regina husked out and Emma wouldn't even have to touch Regina's underwear to know it was soaked through. Dutifully she placed the gag on. "And since you won't be able to say colors, tap the headboards if you want me to slow down or stop."

Regina nodded her head to show that she understood. So Emma moved onto her hands, shackling them to the bed posts.

"How many smacks should I give you?" Emma asked as she unfurled the whip. It was a thing of beauty. Black and made of leather and not too long that it would be cumbersome in this small space.

"Five? Ten? Twenty?" Regina only shook her head to all of those.

"Thirty?" Emma purred as she came up to Regina's ear, caressing the smooth globe of her ass with one hand. Soon this ass would be marked properly by Emma. The idea thrilled her.

Regina nodded her head frantically at this. Emma smiled and backed up, allowing enough space for her jerk back her arm and deliver a sharp crack to Regina. Regina moaned her pleasure and Emma hated knowing she couldn't hear all of Regina's delicious sounds but she tended to get loud and Emma didn't want guests hearing them. The cracks of the whip were small enough that they could be ignored or blamed on some machine.

Emma snapped out three more hits and she could see that Regina's thighs were already shaking. "So close to coming already, pet?" Emma asked smugly as she came up closer to the mayor. She ran a hand over her soaked panties and Regina fought with the urge to jerk back her hips for more contact. "Should I let you come already, or should I make you wait out all thirty lashes?"

Regina shook her head, eyes tightly closed and exhaling heavily through her nose. "You want to cum now?"

Regina nodded her head as Emma's fingers slipped under her panties and began to caress over her nether lips. "And why should I indulge you when you were such a naughty girl?"

Obviously Regina could not speak so Emma teased her a bit more before suggesting something. "If I pleasure you now, will you make it up to me?"

Regina nodded her head so quickly and fervently that it was almost comical. "I'll hold you to that," Emma chuckled darkly and plunged her fingers inside Regina at the same time she let her nails bite into the red skin on Regina's behind where the whip struck. The hiss of pleasure and pain was choked back by the gag but given the way Regina's back arched it was clear she liked it.

Emma continued thrusting in and out of her, running her thumb over her clit. Regina's whole body was shaking. "Ask for permission pet. Oh, wait you can't. Not with the gag in your mouth. So how are you going to cum now?" Emma smirked deviously, knowing she had gotten Regina there. Emma could make out Regina's devastated facial expression when she realized there was no way to ask and she couldn't back down from the orgasm on the horizon. She was trapped and going to get punished by her mistress soundly. She resigned herself to it.

Regina just started to cum when suddenly, "Emma?" a voice called out and shattered the fantasy.

Emma jerked up with a wildly beating heart, a wet heat between her legs, and utterly confused as to where she was. A quick scan told her she was back in her room, in her pjs, with Zelena standing in her doorway, wearing a pair of Emma's old clothes. "Emma, are you okay?"

"What- what happened?" Emma spit out some hair that got into her mouth. All she knew was last night she had gone to Regina's party and then fucked her-

"You were moaning loudly in your sleep. I thought you were hurt."

"No- no, I'm fine. I just," she scrubbed her face with her hands. "What happened? I can't remember?"

Zelena rolled her eyes. "You got absolutely knockered on the eggnog at the party and passed out on a couch halfway. So I called a taxi for us and brought you here and then I stayed over to make sure you were okay."

"I didn't-" _have sex with Regina_ is something she cannot say, so she amends things quickly. "I didn't talk to Regina? Alone in her room?"

Zelena looks confused by this. "Not at all. You barely crossed paths."

Emma slumped back onto her blankets with a less than pleased groan. Barely talking to Regina made so much more sense than fucking her at the party. So that part of the night had been just a dream. "Merry fucking Christmas to me," Emma grunted out and went back to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Adrenalize Me**

* * *

 _Seems like you need lovin'/ baby you need a girl like me around_

 _-Aaliyah_

* * *

 **A/N: Wanted to write a soft chapter, and whats softer than two people caring for each other with actions even if they can't say it with words? (Okay, so maybe there's a lot of other soft things out there, but this is probably as soft as my writing will ever get, so.)**

"Swan, thank you," Ruby said genuinely once they were in the locker room of Poor Soul's. They were both packing up for home, done with their work for the day.

"For what?" Emma asked as she slammed her locker shut. Ruby's comment had come out of nowhere.

"For...for talking to Belle. She came to me and we discussed what was happening between ourselves," Ruby said quietly and warily, peering to see if anyone else was paying attention to their conversation. No one was, Ariel and Tamara wrapped up in a heated debate over which leather whips were better, the place empty otherwise.

"And what are you going to do about it?" Emma had come clean to Ruby about her friendship with Belle and it made it easier for her to mediate between the two of them. She cared for them both and didn't want Ruby to fall into the same mess Emma had fallen into before like with Lily.

"I...I know the dangers of the job- of falling in love on it. Belle said she won't come in to be my client anymore and that she's fine with my line of work. She's willing to date me as is," and here Ruby smiled deeply, so enamored by Belle that Emma was shocked she hadn't seen this coming. Honestly, the signs hadn't been there. Ruby had never fallen in deep with a girl before and this was new. Hopefully, this new development would be good and not bad. "And I promised her I wouldn't take on any other woman clients." That could be potentially damaging for Ruby's income and they both knew it but it seemed the leggy brunette didn't mind.

"I hope it works out for the both of you. I really do," Emma said earnestly, partially spilling her hopes for a good relationship with Regina on Ruby and Belle.

"Thanks. How's your job going with your NDA client? Still got them?"

Here Emma sighs heavily. "What can I say except that the situation is as complicated as ever. They're a tough one but the sessions are good."

"What do you mean the sessions are tough?" Ruby tilts her head in wonder.

Emma ponders over whether it would be a good idea to tell Ruby the truth. But in the end she decides to go for it because Ruby's spilled her secrets to Emma and it's not like Emma's problem is all that far off.

"I think I'm falling for her," Emma says in an ashamed voice.

Ruby's eyes bulge out. "Holy shit," she whispers out. "Are you serious?"

"I'm serious, unfortunately."

"And what does the mayor have that's got you going crazy for her? She doesn't seem like someone easy to get along with."

"She's not easy to get along with," Emma confessed, their voices lowered because their technically not supposed to be discussing Regina. "But there's this...thing about her that just draws me in. And I'm not just talking about her hot body though that is a bonus. She's intense and she cares about her job and she's...she's just human under it all." Emma thinks back to her last session with the mayor, where Regina spilled her insecurities to Emma about her job, about herself, and about how much good she wanted to do for the town. "And I know I shouldn't be feeling this way about her, but I can't help it. I'm gone on her and I just want it to stop because me falling for her won't end up well. She's the fucking mayor for fucks sake!" Emma whisper shouts.

"Damn, Swan," Ruby whistles low. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know," Emma hangs her head. "I know I shouldn't like her. She's...complicated. And she makes me feel like shit sometimes and other times she makes me feel like I'm on top of the world. And I can't pursue anything more with her because of her politician status. And I'm going to swear her off but I still have three more sessions with her and I don't want Ursula to know I'm having trouble with her. Because if he finds out then I'm going to get dropped and I know I can get through this. I know I can," Emma swore, fisting her hands and clenching hard enough that her nails bit into her skin. She didn't want to disappoint her boss. To have him find out he had another Lily situation on his hands, because he didn't. Emma would see to that.

Ruby held her hands, unfurled her fingers. Soothed her. "Emma, you can do this. I know you're strong. You'll get over Regina. And remember, I'm here to help you. We're in this together." She pressed her forehead to Emma's.

Emma nodded her head and smiled shakily. "Thank you Ruby."

Ruby smiled gently at her close friend. "And make sure you get some sleep, you look a bit pale. Paler than usual."

"I will."

* * *

The days passed on and Emma and Ruby talked about the Regina situation more. Emma got the feeling that Ruby did not much like Regina and the way she treated Emma, but what could Emma say except that she was sucker for it?

There was no word on Regina's end and Emma felt uneasy by the radio silence. She was expecting the woman to drop by and chew her out for crashing her party in that slutty Santa getup but she didn't, not even a single word of complaint to Emma's boss, and when the feeling of unease got to be unbearable, Emma dropped a line to Zelena.

"No, she hasn't mentioned that night once. Why? Were you expecting the mayor to hunt you down and jail you for inappropriate clothing?" Zelena asked, sounding confused as to why Emma was inquiring on such a topic.

"No...it's...I was just worried," Emma stammered, unsure how to answer this. She didn't want Zelena to get anymore suspicious than she was about Emma's and Regina's relationship. Surprisingly Emma was disappointed Regina hadn't burst into her apartment to bother her over it. She tried to push the feeling down. There was murmuring on the other end of the line. "Whose there?" Emma asked out of curiosity.

"Oh, just Mulan," Zelena said in a voice that was too smug to be casual.

"Mulan? What is she doing there?" Emma frowned as she poured herself a cup of tea. She'd been feeling a bit chilly lately.

"Keeping my bed warm," Zelena gloated.

"I can't believe she keeps letting you sleep with her."

"Why do you sound so shocked? I'm irresistible dear."

"Sure, if you say so," Emma hummed unconvinced. She was frankly shocked by this development between Zelena and Mulan. She had thought that Mulan was too afraid to go near Zelena. Apparently not. "Just try not to break her."

"No promises," and then Zelena hung up.

"That woman," Emma breathed out, wondering if all Mills women were this insufferable.

It hadn't even been a second before Emma's phone buzzed again. She picked it up. "What's up Ursula."

"Regina wants a booking for next Friday afternoon. You think you can do it?"

Emma's heart jumped up to her throat. She tried not to come off as too eager as she answered. "Sure. I'll pencil her in."

When she hung up she tried very hard to keep calm but she couldn't when her stomach was a mess of nerves and happiness. She was looking forward to the session with a mix of dread and hope settling into her gut like old friends.

* * *

It turned out that Emma shouldn't have looked forward to the session because she caught a fever and was too sick to keep it on the schedule. And she was too sick to even feel bad about it. She would just make it up to the mayor later. She shuffled around her apartment like a zombie, sluggishly brewing herself some tea, gulping down medicine, and trying to make food.

She hadn't even bothered to turn on the lights much less get dressed properly. Her hair was in a messy bun and she was wearing her sweats. Not appealing at all. She looked exactly how she felt: horrible.

There was a knock on the door that jerked Emma's head in the direction of it. That must be Ruby- Emma had asked her to get her some things. It was just odd because she had given her coworker her apartment key. Still, Emma trudged over to answer it, coughing feebly into her sleeve. When she opened it, she thought for sure she must be hallucinating due to the fever because Regina was standing on her doorstep. The mayor was looking as put together as always and her brow was arched up unimpressed. Emma felt extremely self conscious about her looks now.

"So you really are sick," Regina said as way of greeting.

"Why would I be lying about that?" Emma said, her voice rising and making her cough as a result. Regina frowned at the coughing and when Emma finished, pushed right past Emma into the apartment like she owned it. Emma was too sick to argue against it. She just shut the door behind her and followed Regina inside who was turning on the lights.

"Umm, you know I can't do the session like this, right?" Emma clarified because why was Regina here otherwise?

"I know that," Regina scoffed as she took her jacket off and placed it on the couch she had bought Emma. "I'm here to make sure you feel better. You're my dom and I won't have you sick."

Emma's eyes widened at this. It sounded like Regina almost cared.

"I don't care," Regina's shoulders stiffened defensively and shit, Emma had not meant to say that out loud. "This is strictly because of our business together. I need my session and I won't have you rescheduling because of the sniffles."

Emma rolled her eyes at this. Okay, whatever. She was in no mood to argue. She followed Regina into the kitchen.

"Have you been taking your medicine?" Regina asked briskly.

"Yes."

"Have you been resting?"

"Yes," Emma sighed out.

"Have you been eating?"

"Yes, _mom,"_ Emma sassed, tired of all these questions.

Regina twisted her lips in an displeased manner. She perused the kitchen and the meal Emma had been about to eat. " A pop tart?" she held up the treat between pinched fingers like it was a piece of trash and not a delectable snack. There was so much judgement on her face.

"I'm not in any state to cook right now," Emma indicated to her outfit, self explanatory.

"You think eating this shit is going to make you feel better?"

Wow, such harsh language over a pop tart.

"Obviously not, but it's something."

Regina tsked. "This won't do. It'll take ages for you to get better this way." To Emma's surprise the mayor tossed the snack into the trash, rolled up the sleeves of her work shirt, and began to rifle through Emma's fridge.

"Uh, what are you doing?"

"Are there no vegetables in your fridge?" Regina huffed out from inside the fridge. It was abysmal looking. "How are you supposed to eat healthy?" She glared at Emma for an answer.

"Um, I don't?" Emma haplessly shrugged, defenseless against Regina's pushy behavior and personality.

That answer did not please Regina. "Go upstairs to your bed and stay there while I try to figure out something for you to eat."

Emma bobbed her head, feeling like some naughty kid being dismissed into their room for being troublesome. She was too thrown off by Regina's apparent need to visit her apartment to make sure she was taken care of to want to be bothersome about it. Emma didn't know what to say about the woman's concern- despite her discrediting such an idea. She did know it made her feel warm on the inside and like perhaps the mayor wasn't as acidulous as the news should credit her.

So she went to her room and did some light cleaning up in case Regina came inside. Then, she flicked on the TV and began to watch a show there while she tried not to listen in too much on what Regina was doing downstairs in her kitchen. The smells of soup wafted up to her room and her stomach growled.

Not too long after, Regina padded in with a tray balancing a bowl of warm soup and a mug of hot tea. "It's not much given that you had nothing in your kitchen to work with, but here's some vaguely chicken tasting soup." She set the tray down and before Emma could reach out for the spoon, Regina had sat down and dipped the spoon into the soup before holding it out in front of Emma's mouth.

Emma looked at the spoon questioningly before looking at Regina. "You do realize I can feed myself."

Emma swore that she could see two spots of color on Regina's face but the mayor held fierce. "I wasn't sure. Given how you do not know what foods an adult should purchase to eat, I couldn't be sure you could eat like an adult too."

Emma relished in the fact she had embarrassed the mayor but gave in and opened her mouth to take the spoonful of soup. It was hot, spicy even, but still enjoyable. And it warmed Emma up as it traveled down. "Does this have spice in it?"

"Don't be a baby about it. Spice is good when ill."

Emma totally was not being a baby about it. She just typically didn't eat spicy stuff. She'd make an exception for Regina's cooking, though. Really good even with the limited ingredients. Emma didn't even have spices in her house so she had no clue as to how Regina made it this hot.

"How did you make this? I can't make soup to save my life."

"Just a talent of mine, dear," Regina smugly answered. And then she held out another spoonful for Emma. This time it was Emma's turn to blush yet she accepted the offering. Who would have thought that the mayor would be sitting on her bed spoon feeding her when she first started this job. Certainly not Emma. But it felt nice, just being taken care of like this.

So nice, that Emma had to know why the mayor was doing this.

"Why waste your time on me?" Emma asked in a hushed voice, afraid to ask but needing to, her eyes boring into Regina's face searching for the most minute hint of emotion that could give away the mayor's true thoughts on this.

"I already told you- I need you healthy for our next sessions-"

"It's more than that. Tell me. Or I'll get you sick," Emma teased and Regina scoffed.

"Childish and vapid threats do not work on me. Besides, I do not get sick," was the confident answer.

"Tell me, or I won't let you cum in our next session."

That had the intended effect on Regina. "You can't do that."

"I can and you know I will."

Regina thinned her lips and deliberated on her decision. At last she caved in. "You take care of me in our sessions. Especially in the last one when I had...had a rough day. And I wanted to return that favor by taking care of you."

Emma could feel her heart beat strongly at this expressed sentiment. She wanted to reach out and cup Regina's tentative looking face between her hands. Wanted to lean in and kiss her.

"And BDSM is all about trust, so we need to build a trusting relationship between each other," Regina finished and for some reason her voice sounded husky. Some way or another she had leaned in closer to Emma, the tray forgotten between them.

The air crackled with heavy emotions and Emma didn't know what was going to happen next except that whatever it was, it was going to be impactful. Role changing even.

There was a gasp that tore them both out of the orbit of each other and they jerked back, Emma flushing for a reason she didn't know.

Emma forgot she gave Ruby her apartment key and asked her to drop by and bring her some food and Gatorade for her fever until she spots the woman standing in the doorway of her bedroom, watching Regina fuss over Emma. Her mouth hangs open while Emma freezes in panic. Regina immediately senses something is wrong and turns her head. When her eyes land on Ruby Emma's heart stutters to a stop.

Nobody says anything for a while until Ruby gasps out an, "Holy shit, what is the mayor doing here?"

Regina gets up stiffly, tugging down her blazer. "What I am doing here is of no concern to you."

Ruby subsequently ignores her as the cogs in her head turn and she stumbles upon a realization. "She's the NDA client! Holy fucking shit! Em I can't believe you're fucking the mayor!" Ruby faked even more shock so that Regina wouldn't know that she already knew about her.

"Ruby, stop!" Emma warns too late, jerking a hand over her throat as raising her voice hurts.

Regina is not happy at this at all. She strides closer to Ruby and though the dom is taller than the mayor, the mayor's anger makes her tower over her. "I do not know who you are, but I do not appreciate you making assumptions about mine and Miss Swan's relationship. We're friends. We happen to know each other from college-"

"Bullshit. Emma didn't go to college," Ruby quickly cuts in, and though she had been flabbergasted before, and slightly intimidated by the mayor, she knows the mayor's darkest dirtiest secret and knows she wields some power, no matter how small, over her. She leans in. "So, tell me, what's your favorite toy for Emma to use on you?"

Regina's cheeks flush crimson and her mouth gapes open in an attempt to speak. "Ruby!" Emma chides, mortified and scared that Regina's going to skin her friend alive for this. But Ruby flounces past Regina and settles down by Emma's bedside.

She digs in her bag for the things Emma wanted. "Really," she says conversationally. "All your moodiness makes so much more sense now. I would be too if I had to deal with her."

Ruby is just pissing the mayor off more with her words. The woman's fists are curled tightly and the vein in her forehead is throbbing. "I assume you're one of Emma's co-workers. It would be in your best interest for you to hold your tongue. I can make your life very unpleasant if I want to."

"As I could with yours," Ruby says coolly, raising her eyes to the woman. "I doubt the government would look down well on a woman minority spending all her evenings working out some kink she has."

Regina grits her teeth. "I am going to have a word with your employer-"

"Do that," Ruby goads, getting up and Emma feels all but helpless to watch. She is not in the mood to jump out of bed and stop them. "I'm not part of your NDA disclosure. I don't have to keep my mouth shut but I will because I respect Emma and her work. Something you do not seem to do."

Okay, perhaps Emma does have the energy to get out of bed for this. Ruby's about to embarrass her on how self conscious she feels of her work with Regina.

"What are you on about now?" Regina spat out.

"Emma's trying her best to be considerate to you and you-"

"Ruby, really, this isn't needed," Emma cut in, pushing her way in between both women. "I can handle this." She places her hands on Ruby's shoulders and moves her away. "Thank you for the stuff. I appreciate it."

Ruby does not look happy to be dismissed. But she nods her head and heads out, shoulder checking Regina on the way out, only causing the woman to whirl on her heel and stare angrily at Ruby's retreating back. Once Ruby was gone she reached into her pocket to pull out her phone.

"What are you doing?" Emma voiced in panic.

"I am calling Ursula to let him know-"

Emma placed a hand over the phone, stopping it. "Don't do that. Ruby didn't mean anything."

"Didn't mean anything? She threatened to expose me! That's not a light threat."

"Regina, I know. And I'm sorry. I'll talk to her. And we'll get her to sign the NDA as well, just please, trust me to handle this."

"Trust you? Because of you Ruby saw me! Someone I had no intention of letting know my secret is clued into it-"

"First of all, you were the one who decided to come to my place. If I had known you were coming I would have never given Ruby a key to come in. But you showed up uninvited. You knew that could be a risk," Emma cut in because she was not about to be blamed for this when it wasn't her fault it had happened.

"Yes," Regina snapped out bitterly, "I should have known that I couldn't trust you to not make stupid mistakes such as giving your co-workers a key to your place-God!" the mayor cried out, pinching the bridge of her nose and closing her eyes.

Regina was panicking. Emma needed to calm her down. She grabbed onto the woman's arms and rubbed them soothingly. "It's going to be okay. I'll handle everything. Just calm down." She lead the woman to her bed and sat down with her there. Her right hand moved to rub circles on Regina's back while her left hand held onto Regina's hand.

Regina said nothing, just took deep cleansing breaths. When at last she looked more reasonable she turned in towards Emma, questions in her eyes. "What did Ruby mean."

Shit, Emma had been hoping Regina would have forgotten about that part. "It's nothing important. She just saw me tired after our all day session and assumed something bad happened between us."

Regina doesn't seem entirely convinced but she doesn't pry further and Emma is kind of pissed off about Ruby doing all this. She knows her friend did it with good intentions because she wanted the mayor to respect Emma more, but now wasn't the time or place.

"I suppose I should go. I don't want anymore run ins with your friends." The mayor gets up, bitterly spitting out the term friends, and Emma is loathe to see her go but she won't stop her.

"There's soup left over in the kitchen. Make sure you eat it all, I wouldn't want you wasting it."

"I won't. I'll eat anything."

Regina snorts. "Given your taste in food, I can see that." She goes back into the living room and shrugs her jacket back on. Emma follows her, feeling stronger thanks to her care. "Hey, before you go," she shuffles her feet awkwardly here and looks down at them. "Thanks for coming in to check on me."

When she pulls her head up she swears she sees the ghost of a smile on Regina's face before it slips away and her mask is back up. "Settle that business with your coworker," is all Regina says coldly before she strides out the door.

"I will," Emma promises as she watches the mayor leave. The apartment feels so odd and empty now and Emma lonely for a reason she knows but won't admit.

* * *

Emma gets better in three days time, just in time for Zelena to find her way into Emma's apartment. Emma opens the door to find her on her stoop, giant green suitcases in tow.

"Zelena, what is this?" Emma asks flatly as the red haired Brit pushes her way in and settles her shit down like she belongs here. Like this was planned.

"Moving in."

"Why?"

"Because my sister's sick and she's a right pain in the arse when she's sick. All whining and sniveling and 'oh god why me?!'" Zelena dramatically reenacted Regina clutching her chest and collapsing to her knees as Emma rolled her eyes at the antics. Zelena got up and dusted off her knees before resuming normally. "Plus, I don't want to catch what she has," Zelena scowls and busies herself by rummaging through Emma's fridge. She pulls out the pot of soup that Emma has basically been living off of for days. "I didn't know you could cook. Can I have some of this?"

But Emma is still stuck on an earlier point. "The mayor's sick? What does she have?"

"From the way she complains, its eternal agony in the fifth circle of hell. Most likely, it's a fever and cold."

"Oh." Emma feels guilt flood her body. Regina had come in to take care of Emma and had gotten herself sick in the process. She hadn't foreseen that happening. "Shouldn't you be taking care of her?"

"She's got Robin for that. Now, can I have this soup or what?" Zelena said she put the remains of it on the stove top.

"Yea, sure, go for it," Emma nodded her head absently, mind somewhere else already. She was filled with the overwhelming urge to repay the favor for Regina and take care of her. The knowledge of the mayor's grumpy nature while indisposed was not a deterrent; in fact it made her all the more amusing and endearing to Emma. "Hey, I think I'm going to go to the store. Get a couple of things," Emma decided, guided by her feelings instead of her logic right now. She slid on her coat and grabbed her wallet and keys.

"I hope it's to restock this kitchen because it's abysmal!" Zelena notified. "Also, I'm calling the bed."

"No, you are not. That bed is mine, you get the couch," Emma shouted out.

"You're a terrible host."

"If you don't like it, you could stay over with Mulan," Emma called back and opening the door.

"Maybe I will!" Zelena managed to get out just before Emma slammed the door shut and found herself on Regina's stoop an hour later, holding a bag full of medicine, tissues, and a store bought tea in her hand.

"This is stupid," she muttered out to herself. "She has Robin to take care of her. And she'll be furious to see me here. It's breaking part of the contract." She really shouldn't be here. She couldn't even believe what had possessed her to come here in the first place. "I should go," she told herself loudly but her hand had a mind of its own and rang the doorbell.

She wanted with a hint of anticipation, not having the first clue on what to say when the door opened. Moments later it was cracked open and Robin's face peeked out. When he saw her it shone. "Why hello there. How can I help you?"

She wasn't entirely sure Robin recognized her from that awful lunch, so she introduced herself. "I'm Emma. I'm Zelena's friend. And uh, Zelena told me that Regina wasn't feeling well. So um, I bought some stuff for her. To make her feel better," Emma blathered, without taking a single breath. She raised the tea and bag in explanation.

"Oh, so that's where I recognize you from. From the lunch." Robin let a handsome grin split his face.

"Yes," Emma nodded her head.

"Well, come on in." He made space for her and she came inside. The holiday decor had been taken down but the place still looked as majestic as ever. "It's so nice to have a friend over. Regina has a tendency to scare away most people, but really she's a sweet heart under her tough demeanor. She's upstairs in her bedroom, down the hall and to the right if you want to speak to her."

Emma fully well knew where the bedroom was but she wasn't going to say that.

"I probably won't stay long," she ducked her head not quite processing how easy this had been. For sure she had been certain she would get thrown out.

"That's fine. Warning, Regina is crabby when she's sick. If she barks at you I promise it's with no bite." Robin chuckled, warm affection in his eyes.

"Yea, I know." Emma had been on the other end of it all. "Are you not coming up?" she asked because she felt the need to. Here she was, a nearly perfect stranger to him, and he was not wary in letting her up the stairs in his mansion. She could be here to rob him for all he knew.

"I'll be downstairs to give you two space. I think Regina could use a friend now. And I think she's quite fed up with seeing my face."

"Okay," Emma shrugged and proceeded to go upstairs. What a weirdly trusting fellow. He seemed to only see the good in others.

She got to Regina's door and knocked on it. She got no answer so she knocked again.

"Robin, I swear to God, if it's you bothering me again after I told you not to, then I'll chop your b-" Regina stopped herself here when she yanked open the door and found Emma on the other end of it.

She looked so disheveled that it was endearing. Hair not styled flawlessly but with messy strands hanging in her face. Cheeks flushed with fever and a robe on that she was clutching to her chest.

"Em-Emma?" she spluttered out.

"What happened to not getting sick?" Emma teased.

Regina groaned and closed her eyes at this. "Shut up or I'll make you shut up. How did you get here?"

"Robin let me in."

"How did you even know I was sick?"

The questions were brisk again. Even sickness would not hold back Regina's rapid fire tongue. "Zelena."

"I'm going to throttle that woman for spilling my secrets," Regina grunted out, trying to shove past Emma to find her sister. "Zelena!" she called out to the big house. "Show your face you red haired, green wearing coward!"

"Whoa, let's calm down there," Emma insisted, using her body to block Regina's efforts. "She's not here, she's at my place, running from you and your illness. And not that your several threats on bodily harm aren't weirdly cute, but you need your rest and I brought you some stuff to help with that."

Regina took this moment to assess Emma. "Why are you here?"

"To help you."

"The real reason," Regina snapped out.

"The real reason _is_ to help you. You came to help me when I was sick, so I want to repay the favor," Emma explained with a hint of frustration. Did the mayor never hear about being nice to someone because they had been nice to you?

"I don't need someone coddling over me. I can take care of myself."

"Except that Zelena told me that your a baby when you're so sick, so I'm not buying that for a second." Emma had already come this far, she wasn't going to back down that easily.

Regina's nostrils flared. "Just how much has that woman told you about me?"

"Barely anything," Emma insisted. "Now let me into your room unless you want your tea cold."

Regina glared at the tea in Emma's hand before snatching it up and retreating back into the room, leaving it open for Emma to come through.

The room was put together even with Regina sick and Emma was impressed. She could never keep order when feeling like shit. "Did you settle the issue with your friend?" Regina asks, settling herself down under her expensive covers. She sips on the tea and though she wrinkles her nose up at it, she continues sipping it.

"Yes, I did. No need for further action or worry," Emma assures, setting down the bag on the bed. "I got you some medicine and tissues and drinks. Also, this." Emma smiles as she pulls out a movie and holds it out for Regina to see. By Regina's blank stare, she doesn't know what it is.

"It's a lesbian movie. Thought you might be interested in watching one. Just don't play it when Robin's around," Emma winked. "If you catch my drift."

Regina's pink cheeks flushed even further. "You got me a porno?"

"It's not a porno. And even if it was, nothing wrong with 'working' out your sickness," she grinned coyly and not all subtle with what she was getting at. "I'll just leave it here," Emma said, placing the DVD on Regina's bed stand enticingly as the woman's citrine eyes follow her every movement. "You decide if you want to watch it or not."

There is a silence between them that stretches and Emma rubs the back of her neck, unsure as to how to proceed, eyes skittering around the room and not focusing on an all too quiet Regina. "I didn't bring food- don't know how to cook soup like you," she adds, clearing her throat.

"That's alright. Thank you." Regina's tone is soft and her eyes sparkle with gratitude. It makes Emma feel like a sun is growing in her chest. Like it's about to go supernova.

"Yea, no prob. I'm gonna go now. See you at some point?" she hates how needy her voice sounds at the end but Regina only seems pleased to hear that.

"I look forward to our next session, mistress," comes the low conclusion, the hushed tone making the hairs on the back of Emma's neck stand. She feels some of her old confidence re-surging and flashes Regina a coy smile.

"You better believe I'll make you scream." Emma watched as Regina shivered, nothing to do with the fever, before she turned on her heel and walked out.

When she came back home she found Zelena sprawled out on her bed, snoring loudly, but was too happy to even care as she made a makeshift bed on her couch and settled down.


	10. Chapter 10

**Adrenalize Me**

 **A/N: This is more of a transitional chapter rather than anything else- I needed to set up the next chapter so here is just smut and plain ole Zelena shenanigans.**

 **Additionally, the update schedule for this fic has changed due to time constraints. I have a lot of stories for SwanQueen that I want to work on getting out shortly and I can't keep up weekly updating. I'm gonna try to update every two weeks instead but we'll see how that goes.**

* * *

 _What you need is just a little discipline/I got a heavy dose of the right medicine/The dark side is how we've been livin'/Let me show you what you've been missin'/You, You, You are, You are my slave/My little fucking disaster/I, I, I am, I am your god_

 _-Blood on the Floor-_

* * *

"Swan, come in, do you read me?" Zelena's British tones buzzed in over the walkie talkie. When Emma didn't respond, she tried again. "Swan, do you read me?"

Twisting her lips up at having to do this, Emma reluctantly hit the button. "I hear you loud and clear, Big Ben."

"Then why the bloody hell haven't you been answering me?" Zelena indignantly cried out.

"Zel-"

"Ah ah ah!" She scolded. "What did I tell you? Code names only!"

"Code names are stupid. What are we? Five?"

"No, they're bloody brilliant. I'm Big Ben, because I'm British and you're Swan because that's your last name."

Emma pinched her brow. "See, not creative or discrete at all. What are we even doing? Why did you drag me out this early?"

Zelena had stormed into Emma's apartment and dragged her out of the bed at the ass crack of dawn without speaking a word of explanation before setting them upon this stupid plan. Emma's legs were getting sore from crouching behind this bush for half an hour.

"Just trust me."

"That's the issue. I don't. This has bad news written all over it."

"Can't talk now, the target is approaching," Zelena hastily cut in.

"Target!" Emma nearly shouted and then lowered her voice when a nearby woman sitting at a table turned to stare at the bush in confusion. "Are you actually a hit-man and trying to get me involved in your mission?"

Zelena sputtered in laughter though it sounded more like cackling through the walkie talkie static. "You seriously think I have it in me to kill someone?"

"I've seen the way you wage war on cockroaches."

"Those things are filthy and disgusting!" Zelena defended with vitriol. "They deserve to slaughtered indiscriminately!"

"That doesn't mean you need to take a knife and stab holes into my wallpaper in order to kill them," Emma said, annoyed because Zelena's freak out had come at Emma's apartment's expanse. "You can use a shoe or paper like anyone else."

"I will not apologize for that. And now, shut up. The target's moving into position," Zelena hissed and picked up her binoculars to peer through them. Emma caught the glint of them from behind her bush. She scoffed, in total disbelief on Zelena's antics. Honestly, sometimes Emma thought the woman wasn't human given the way she acted. But then she recalled Zelena was Regina's sister- and whereas Regina liked to seem perfectly inhuman with her beauty and her pose and intelligence, Zelena did it by acting grandly and creating up convoluted schemes that seemed to go nowhere.

Like now: Zelena was spying off of a roof on whoever it was she was stalking, and she had poor Emma doing the same but from behind a bush.

She parted the bush's leaves and tried to scan the crowd. Who was she looking for?

"Big Ben, come in. Who are we looking for?" But just as she asked, she saw a familiar face. Mulan was sitting at a cafe table, having just arrived with a friend and settling down with her. "Oh my god," Emma groaned to herself and massaged her brow. She hit the talk button. "Why are we stalking Mulan?"

"We're not stalking her!" Zelena shrilled. "We're just making sure she has a good lunch. With her _friend_ ," the red head stressed bitterly.

"This is ridiculous. _You're_ jealous."

"I am not jealous!"

"Then why are you spying on her?"

"I already said, it was so as to make sure she could have a good lunch date."

"You don't trust her. You think she's going to cheat."

"That's not true at all! I trust her! It's that woman I don't trust. They dated in the past."

Emma chuckled. "Man oh man, despite all the green you wear, you're about the greenest thing ever."

"Shut up!"

"Why don't you just ask Mulan about this woman. Be open and tell her you're worried about their relationship."

There was silence at that.

Emma couldn't believe it. "You never actually talked to her about any of this, did you?"

"I-I didn't have time," Zelena sputtered.

What was with the Mills' sisters and their inability to function normally in terms of intimate relationships?

Emma sighed out heavily. "I'm gonna help you out, but you need to never wake me up at six am again." Resolutely, Emma turned off her walkie talkie so Zelena couldn't get in touch with her. Then, straightening her sore legs, she got up, startling a nearby walking man who hadn't expected a woman to pop out of nowhere.

She casually walked up to Mulan. "Hey, Mulan, how you doing?" she asked, tucking her hands into her back pockets. They had gone cold from the bitter air.

"Emma, so funny to run into you here," she said, rising up to hug Emma, who took this chance to whisper into her ears, "I hope you're not thinking of cheating on Zelena with your ex."

Mulan tensed up. "I would never. Have you seen what that woman does to innocent insects?"

Emma nodded in sympathy. "All too well." She clapped Mulan on the back, it all settled that Mulan would never mistreat Zelena. "Enjoy your lunch," she smiled at her and her ex, and then whistling to herself, walked off. Zelena was waiting for her at a street corner, face flushed. "What the bloody hell were you-"

"Mulan would never cheat on you. She assured me. You don't have anything to worry about," Emma interjected smoothly before The Brit could continue raging.

Zelena's jaw flapped open and shut like she was still ready to argue but she gave up on it, sagging in relief. "That's...good," she reluctantly agreed.

"Just be more open with Mulan. She's a really chill person."

Zelena nodded her head. "I thought she was going to get upset. I'll be more honest next time."

"See, that doesn't seem so hard, doing things the adult way."

Zelena swats Emma's arm. "But where's the fun in that. You keep managing to drain all the life out of everything fun I try to do in this town."

"Stalking is not a fun activity. And neither is it legal."

Zelena tosses her hair over her shoulder like this doesn't concern her one bit. "Well, now that my fun has been ended, I don't suppose you have any ideas of something to occupy my time?"

"Sorry, no can do. I going to attempt to make up the sleep you stole from me and then I have to get ready for the evening. I have a big client today."

That client just so happens to be Regina but Emma's not going to point that out. They've finally managed to reschedule that session they missed because of Emma being sick. Except this time, the sessions not going to take place in Emma's place but in a hotel two hours away from Storybrooke. The mayor's been out of town on business and Emma has no idea what for. She's not here to question the mayor's job just give her stress relief.

* * *

She gets to the location she and Regina are meeting up at and finds it empty so she takes out one of her outfits from her duffel bag. She takes the time to get dressed, slipping on the leather like an old friend. Make up is completed in the mirror in the room and she fluffs up her hair at the end. Done, she sits cross legged on the bed and taps her fingers on her thighs as she waits on the mayor to arrive. Maybe she should try a more seductive pose? She lays down flat, one hand on her hip, chest pushed out. No, that might seem like she's trying too hard.

Damn it, she's never been this insecure about simply positioning her body, but then again, Regina is drawing a lot of things out of her. She sits back up, spreads her legs open, but then decides that might be too lewd. There is a rattle of a key turning in the lock and she quickly snaps back into a legs crossed position, seductive smile on her face.

When Regina sees Emma sitting in the room, on the bed, something clicks in her. The stony masks slips, her rigid posture melts, and she crosses the room in hasty strides. Emma just manages to get off the bed when their lips collide hard.

Regina's kissing her like she's missed her which is ridiculous because they're not anything to each other except client and servicer. But yet the fact remains that she's kissing hungrily, like she just can't get enough, and her hands roam wildly over Emma's figure.

Emma can't help from returning the kiss with the same amount of enthusiasm, raking her hands through Regina's neatly coiffed hair and ruining it until it looks wild with anticipation of sex. "Someone's eager," Emma teases once they pull apart. Emma cups Regina's chin and grins down at her. "Couldn't wait to see me?"

"It's been...an eventful week," Regina manages to get out, eyes cautious with how much she can impart to Emma. She settles on sharing some but not all information.

"New laws and legislation to pass; new city infrastructure issues to contemplate over. But, we finally managed to shut down that scandal stemming from my office," Regina said wearily; whatever triumphant she may have reached from succeeding drowned out by how harsh and demanding it had been to get those results. She extricates herself from Emma's hold, pours herself a drink from the bottle on her nightstand, and slumps down into a chair.

"I'm happy you solved whatever issues it was you were having. I just wanted to ask, why the new place? Is this arraignment safe?"

"Did you go through the front desk pretending to be a journalist slated to meet with me for a private interview?"

"Yea, I did." It had worked amazingly well and Emma got a little kick out of it, feeling sort of like a spy in using disguises and such. Still, a risk remained and Emma did not want this new placement to breach the NDA disclosure. She did not want to get Regina in trouble.

"Then it should be fine. As long as we don't get any noise complaints."

That brings a coy smirk to Emma's face. "With you...I don't know." Regina has a habit of not being able to keep quiet. She slowly circles around to the back of Regina's chair and places her hands on her tense shoulders. "How about a nice massage first?"

"That would be splendid," Regina groans out. Emma quickly works her magic on Regina, fingers digging in deep and massaging every inch of Regina's stressed body all the way from her neck to her lower back.

The woman turns to putty in her hands and Emma relishes the control she has over her. Control like no one else probably has. Little appreciative noises leave Regina's mouth and by the time Emma's done, Regina is entirely relaxed.

"Better?"

"Amazingly so. You should consider being a masseuse," Regina said.

"Why should I, when I'm so much better at using every part of my body in other ways," Emma winked and Regina chuckled, something low yet almost breathy like she was remembering every filthy act she and Emma got up to.

"Where are my manners, I forgot to offer you a drink," she said, about to get up to her feet. But Emma placed a hand onto her shoulder to keep her down and snatched the glass from her hand, then, craning Regina's head up with her free hand, she gave a smirk before making the woman watch her take a gulp of the drink. Mouthful of dark liquor she leaned down and kissed Regina's waiting mouth. Alcohol mixed with Regina's moan, some spilling over and running down the side of her mouth. Hand still pressed under Regina's jaw line, Emma could feel her swallow the rest of the liquid obediently.

The kiss was wet and sticky and uncoordinated from this angle but when Emma went to pull away, Regina's hand tugged down on her long blonde locks and crashed their lips together again. Emma bit the mayor's lower lip in retaliation, making her let out a sharp gasp before pulling away, ignoring the clinging hand in her hair.

"Someone's grabby today," she commented easily as she set down the glass by the lamp. She strode around the chair, Regina's eyes never leaving her before she dropped down on the mayor's lap, black leather clad thighs trapping her in.

"Did you miss me pet?" she asked, toying with the buttons on the top of Regina's blouse.

"Yes, mistress," the name of reverence came easily from Regina's lips. Her eyes had lidded, heavy with desire.

"Hmm, really?" Emma tilted her head teasingly as she began to unbutton Regina's shirt with ease.

"Yes."

"Somehow I don't believe it," Emma said, revealing tanned skin and a black lace bra under the burgundy shirt.

"Then why don't you put your hand in my pants and find out for yourself."

Emma paused, shocked by Regina's bold words. The woman usually had difficulty expressing herself but now she was staring clearly at Emma, with almost a hint of a defiance in her eyes. It was a familiar look. One Emma had seen before.

"It's been _that_ kind of rough week," Emma said, softly grabbing Regina by the chin and clicking her tongue in understanding. The last time she had seen the mayor so defiant was when she blamed herself for some difficulties in her office. "I already told you, you don't need to be punished for things that are out of your control."

Regina thinned her lips.

"Regina, I'm serious. I already told you that I wouldn't be encouraging such behavior from you. It can lead to you pushing and pushing until you get seriously hurt."

They looked at each other until Regina relented and sighed through her nose. "You are so perceptive it is frightening."

Emma smiled at this, the compliment making her happy for some reason. "That's what I get paid to do," she said, however, wincing that she had to bring this up. "But, I am concerned for you because I care and not just because it's my job," she added to clarify. "Do you want to talk things out with me, or do you...?" Emma trailed off to let Regina fill in the rest.

"I'll be fine. I promise I won't go overboard, not like last time."

"Good," Emma purred, roughly pulling on Regina's trouser button. It made a loud pop as it freed itself, the zipper getting pulled down in a slow deliberate manner that had Regina waiting impatiently. Emma's fingers tiptoed to the waistband of Regina's underwear, the woman slightly trembling under her with anticipation. Emma relished in the feel of it, in having this woman relying on her for something so intimate. Warm fingers slide down and down to greet slick flesh.

The amount of wetness there surprised Emma. "You weren't kidding. You really missed me," she murmured in pleasure. She pulled her fingers out and placed them at Regina's mouth. She swallowed them up, wrapping her warm tongue around them and sucking diligently.

"I bet you got this wet during your meeting, just thinking on all the different ways I could fuck you," Emma continued and Regina moaned around the fingers in her mouth before Emma was pulling them free and placing them back between Regina's thighs, gliding them through the wetness there and spreading it around, delicately poking around experimentally and only putting Regina's body more on edge by leaving her with unsatisfactory touches. The brunette's hips bucked under Emma's but she pressed down to keep Regina in place. "You were being a bad little mayor, weren't you."

Regina's eyes slip closed at the slander as Emma's fingers continued to explore her. The mayor's hand reached up to grab Emma's hips, like she was preparing to get a proper grip on something on earth before she floated off. Emma smirked at that, at the way Regina knew she was going to be affected by Emma's words already and needed to be prepared. "Instead of focusing on taxes and charities, you were imagining me spreading your legs and fucking you slowly under the table with my fingers while the meeting was happening. While the rest of those politicians had no idea what was going on. I'd fuck you with three fingers right away because you'd already be so wet for me. And you would be spread so nicely for me, pussy just waiting for me to take."

"Mistress, please," Regina whined. With her hips pinned down and unable to buck up for added friction, she was boiling with arousal that was no closer to being relieved. Her chest heaved and the veins in her neck strained.

"I wasn't done," Emma leaned in and whispered harshly into Regina's ear, knowing her warm breath would drive the mayor just a bit madder with desire. She was right. The woman shuddered and tightened her hold on Emma's hips as more wetness seeped over Emma's hand.

"I'd spread your legs even wider so you could show me more of that glorious pussy for me. Push a fourth finger into you as I fucked you fast and loud now, your pussy so wet you can hear it as it drips over the floor, come running down your legs as you come once and than twice, shaking all over. But I'm not done with you yet."

"Oh god," Regina gasps, eyes tight as she imagines all this happening to her. Her hips are fruitlessly bucking up but Emma holds firm. Tormenting Regina like this is too fun.

She drags her lips up from Regina's collarbone to her ear, nibbling the lobe there as she says in a low husky voice, "and then I'd taste you. And you'd taste so _good._ I'd lick every drop up, not able to get enough of you," Emma moaned wantonly into Regina's ear, licking the lobe with a long flick of her tongue.

"You're going to kill me," Regina said in a highly strained voice as Emma felt the mayor's pussy twitch hungrily and flood with more hot sticky wetness. She pressed her forehead against Emma as she begged. "Please, mistress, touch me."

"I'm already touching you."

"You know what I mean," Regina said, body tight with unspent arousal. Now that her momentary self loathing had been addressed and nipped in the bud by Emma, she had lost her ability to clearly speak on what she wanted.

"No, I don't. I assume you want me to hug you?" Emma licked the shell of Regina's ear again, moaning into it, "because I'd much rather taste you; lick every last sopping inch of you up into my mouth." At this she crooked the tips of her fingers into Regina's slit, feeling her walls greedily tugging at what little was offered.

Regina exhaled harshly into Emma's skin. "No. I just need to be fucked."

"So fuck yourself on my fingers. Do it," Emma said none too kindly.

Regina nodded her head and leaned back, trying to give herself enough leverage to work with as she pushed into Emma's hand. But it wouldn't work at this angle. It was impossible. With shuddering breaths of exertion she tried to further her pleasure only to further her frustrations instead.

"It's not working," she whined, opening her eyes to reveal they were glassy with desperation. Tears gathered at the corners.

"I think you're not trying hard enough. You must not want to please your mistress," Emma flatly said. Her insides churned in an excitement that belied her speech. She loved the way Regina was nearly driven to tears- she wasn't an easy woman to break and Emma took great pride in her work in being able to draw this out of Regina.

"I do want to please you, but I can't...I can't," she panted as her hands lifted off of Emma's hips where they had been dug in so deeply they left groove marks and to her breasts, slipping under her bra's cups.

Immediately, Emma reached to grab them, pining them to the couch cushions. This left Regina entirely without Emma's hand in her panties. "No..." she moaned pitifully. "Mistress, why?"

"Who said you had permission to touch yourself?"

"Well you aren't doing it!" Regina snapped out and Emma slapped her for it, the force of it sending Regina's head careening in the other way.

"You expect me to reward you when all I have is this bratty behavior from you?"

Regina bit her bottom lip here, at lest having the decency to look a bit shame faced for her outburst. "Maybe I ought to just leave right now," Emma threatened.

"Don't do that," Regina whispered, aghast, looking like this might actually break her heart if Emma really did this.

"Then will you behave?"

"Yes," Regina promised solemnly.

"I don't think I can believe you on that either. Politicians are liars after all," Emma said playfully as she let go off Regina's wrists and raked her hands through thick brown locks.

"Please, I promise I'll do anything," Regina said earnestly.

"I'll hold you to that, but remember, anything is a deadly promise to make," Emma said darkly and then got off of Regina's lap.

"Where are you going?" Regina asked, longing filling her for Emma's warm steady body on her.

"I'm going to watch you."

"Watch me?" Regina was adorable with confusion etched upon her face.

"You want to badly touch yourself, than do so. I want to watch you." Emma sat down on the edge of the bed, legs crossing. "Slowly. Fuck yourself how you do every time you think of me."

She could visibly see Regina swallowing as Emma's words sunk into her. She gave a decisive nod of her head and began to shimmy down her pants, and underwear, throwing both of them to the side as Emma picked up the glass once more and sat down on the bed in front of Regina.

Regina spread her legs revealing glistening wetness beading down her thighs. Emma could feel her mouth begin to dry and she took a sip to wet her throat. Regina wasted no time in getting right to it, left hand skimming down her toned stomach to the apex of her thighs. Her fingers sunk in with a wet squelch as a huge moan of relief left her mouth at her finally being able to touch herself. Her head sagged down against the back of the chair and she began to move in and out. Emma followed each motion greedily, feeling her insides turn to mush. How she wished her hand was the one doing that.

She watched the way the mayor's mouth fell open in wanton cries, the way her thighs spread further as her hand speed up, hips bucking up to chase it. Her eyes were closed and the muscles on her stomach twitched. She was close already.

Emma downed the rest of Regina's drink in order to hold back the want crawling up her throat. The alcohol burned and kept it down for now.

"And don't you dare come," Emma warned, her voice sounding rougher than she meant it to.

"But-" Regina gasped out, needing badly to come. Emma knew that, and yet she wouldn't let her. Not yet.

"Don't disobey me. You said anything and I hold you to that word."

Regina's knuckles were white as she held onto the couch cushion with brute force to stave off her orgasm, hand between her legs slowing down. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip and when she opened her eyes there were tears in the corner of them that belied how much effort this was taking from her. It looked like it physically hurt to stop now.

"Good pet," Emma purred, pleased.

She got up and strode towards Regina with purposeful steps. "Because you listened you get to take off my top and my shoes."

Regina blinked, as if she was waking up, not sure if it was yet reality or still a good dream. "Mistress?" she asked, surprised by this.

"Get on with it before I take my offer back." Emma wanted her pants off too, the material tight and rubbing against her crotch which begged for relief. For something softer to touch it and pleasure her, but she couldn't. Taking them off would reveal too much on how she felt.

Regina nodded her head and dropped down to her knees happily, undoing the straps on Emma's heels and sliding them off. Then, she rose to her feet, hands trailing up and taking in the curves of Emma's body before making it up to the bottom of her leather crop top and pulling it up over her head. Emma wasn't wearing anything underneath except some tape to cover her excited nipples.

Regina took in Emma's bared chest- the most amount of skin she had ever seen on the blonde before. "I'll allow you to touch me, for today," Emma instructed, her voice wavering slightly as the thought of Regina's mouth and fingers on her drew the heat in her insides to a boiling pitch.

Emma sat down on the bed, making room between her legs so Regina could get in between them. The mayor was nearly shivering with excitement and when she got down to her knees she began to run her hands up and down Emma's arm, to her neck, to her stomach which jumped under the reverent touches.

"You're so beautiful, mistress," Regina said in a dry whisper.

"Are you going to talk the whole time or are you going to put that mouth of yours to good work?" Emma said haughtily, tossing her head back and pushing her breasts out more. She acted like hearing those words didn't phase her, but, _God,_ it turned her on to hear Regina expressively say she found Emma appealing, even if Emma had seen the wanton lust in the woman's dark eyes before.

Regina didn't wait another second, leaning in and pressing soft delicate kisses to Emma's flesh. Emma couldn't help the pleased murmurs that came from her mouth. She raked a hand through Regina's hair and muttered encouraging words to her as her lips turned from soft to sharper, teeth biting, tongue swirling, and leaving red marks.

Regina worked her way up from Emma's stomach, to her chest, pausing by Emma's breasts and looking up, wordlessly asking if she could taste them. Emma shook her head no and so Regina kept going up, kissing under Emma's jaw and drawing a soft moan out of her. At last their lips meet and the kiss they shared was just as hungry as when Regina first came in, except this time her lips were more swollen and she was writhing with unspent arousal.

But Emma was in no rush, wanting to draw out their forbidden moments together for as long as she could. There was no telling when they would meet like this again. Ignoring the both of their needs for release, she kept kissing and kissing Regina senseless, the mayor giving back as good as got until she unexpectedly pulled away and rested her head on Emma's collarbone. Her ragged breaths tickled the skin there and her hands that were resting shakily on Emma's thighs squeezed down hard as she tried to regain equilibrium.

"Are you okay, pet?"

"I'm...I'm trying not to come," Regina made out between breaths, voice small and thighs unable to stop rubbing together despite her best efforts.

Emma figured she had kept the mayor waiting long enough by now. "You may come now, pet," she said as she snaked a hand in between Regina's legs. All it took was one pass of her thumb against Regina's clit and she was coming, fingers digging into Emma's thighs as she rode out the first of her orgasms with a loud cry.

"Get on the bed," Emma ordered when the first wave had finished and the mayor scrambled to obey. Regina's discarded panties in one hand and handcuffs in her other, Emma crawled up to join her, securing Regina's wrists to the headboard. "Don't pull too hard; this headboard doesn't look too stable. And since you won't be able to talk, open and close your fist twice if you want me to stop, okay?" Emma said as she shoved Regina's panties into her mouth. The mayor nodded her head and swallowed deeply in anticipation as she watched what Emma would do. The dominatrix got back off and dug around in her bag for what she needed. It was something small and black.

Emma flicked the switch and it began buzzing. "This is the strongest vibrator on the market. Guaranteed orgasm in fifteen seconds if used correctly," Emma smirked. "Let's see how many I can pull out from you."

Regina's eyes held a mixture of panic and excitement, a combination that would only heighten her pleasure. Sliding in between her spread legs, Emma placed the vibrator between Regina's legs and let it go, counting off mentally in her head.

She hadn't even reached ten before Regina was coming, and it was only a couple seconds more before she had another one and another-writhing, legs kicking, arms tugging on the handcuffs as she moaned and screamed past the gag. It looked like she had tried to hold them back, eyes screwed shut hard and legs clamping shut but it was to no avail. She had come hard three times in a row. And more kept coming, washing over her like a wave that threatened to drown her. But her fist remained closed, not once signalling she wanted to stop, so Emma made the choice for her, knowing Regina was probably too stubborn to give up and say no- that she would go through this all if only to please Emma. And while Emma liked seeing how much pain and pleasure Regina would take for her, she didn't want actual harm to come to Regina.

When a sheen of sweat appeared on Regina's forehead, Emma finally pulled out the vibrator, a gush of wetness coming out with it. Regina had soaked the sheets underneath her and the shirt on her was wet too. Emma turned the vibrator off and took out the gag so that Regina could suck in air hungrily, her chest heaving up and down like she had run a marathon.

"You alright?" Emma asked, taking the chance to wipe Regina's damp hair out of her face. "Do you want to take a break?"

Regina shook her head. "No, I can take more." There was the stubbornness, that need to please.

Emma slapped Regina's thigh sharply in reprimand. "I'm telling you to take a break, then. I'm not pushing you hard tonight." She got off the bed and fetched a bottle of water for Regina. Cracking the cap open she took a swig before leaning down with the mouthful so they could kiss once more, excess water escaping. But even after the water had gone down, they kept kissing, something slow and comfortable. Regina's legs came up to wrap around the small of Emma's back and tug her in, their lips parting and hovering close by as they bumped noses playfully. Emma was the first to break this, having gotten lost momentarily in visions of being able to do this with Regina everyday- just be next to her, kissing her softly, taking care of her.

That was a dangerous dream.

She sat up for some distance and cradled the back of Regina's neck to pour some water into her mouth. She couldn't have Regina dehydrated and while sharing mouthfuls of drink was enjoyable it was not a sure way of hydration. The woman drank half the bottle before she signaled to Emma that that was enough.

They had come a long way, considering Regina hadn't ever wanted any aftercare or even a semblance of concern shown to her at first. Now, she was more open and accepting of it. Could it have something to do how she was more trusting of Emma? Or she simply had accepted her kink fully?

Emma set the bottle and her inner thoughts aside.

"What do you want to do next? You have me for...another hour," Emma said, casting a quick look at the clock on the bedside table.

Regina was silent a moment as she thought this over, clearing her throat to speak. "Uh, do you still happen to have that Santa outfit?" Regina inquired with an uncertain waver in her voice. She looked off to the side as if looking at Emma's face would be her undoing.

Ah, so that explained the lack of Regina's scolding on Emma crashing her party in that outfit. Zelena was about to get a big thanks from Emma. For once her scheme had worked out.

"I'll be back in a minute," and she went to change into it.

* * *

They finally finished by three in the morning, laying sweaty and exhausted on the bed, and in Emma's case, body still bursting with a need to get off but unable to do so. And she couldn't wait until she got home. "I'm going to take a shower before I go," she said, sprinting to the bathroom once her tired body could get up and running the tap as loudly as possible, fingering herself in the shower for a total of three orgasms in a row, all three making her eyes roll back into her head and making her nearly collapse to the ground. When she was done, she felt much better and she quickly washed and dried off.

Regina was wrapped up in a towel outside, awaiting her turn next.

"I hope you didn't use up all the hot water," Regina said, turning to see an Emma whose skin was flushed from hot water, leaving. "You were in there a while."

It was a good thing Emma's face was already flushed or else Regina would have seen her blushing. Did she hear her? But the shower water had been pretty loud and she had been quiet. "I have to keep clean. It's very important to take a lot of time cleaning everything out."

Regina arched a brow but said nothing. As she stepped to go to the bathroom, Emma put a hand on her to pause her. "Hold on a second. I have something for you." She went to her bag and dug out a little gift before handing it to Regina. She had ordered this around Christmas time for the woman and it had just arrived a week back.

"I got you this." It was done up neatly in a small red box. She held it out to Regina who took it with curious hands and flipped the lid open. Emma was nervous. Would the mayor think this was too forthcoming? Would she be mad at Emma for giving this to her?

"This is...lovely," Regina said softly as her face split into a smile upon opening the gift.

"I want you to use it at some point during our next play session," Emma smiled, relief filling her chest. Regina liked it. It was all she ever wanted.

"I'll hold you to that," Regina said, letting fingers trace over the smooth leather. Emma put on the hat to finalize her reporter disguise and slung the duffel bag over her shoulder before leaving.

One session down, only a couple more to fulfill.

She tried to not let the idea depress her.


	11. Chapter 11

**Adrenalize Me**

 **A/N: Just made a Tumblr (it was only a matter of time, really). You can find me there under wellthizizdeprezzing. I'll be posting updates/ special information for my stories there. You can also feel free to send me prompts there (for one shots or snippets).**

* * *

 _Love is pain/ You'll be satisfied/ Don't like it that hard?/ Cry, it will make it easier/ Scream if you want/ Now it's so much in trend/ Idiotism - our Sadism_

 _-_ _Omnimar-Sadizm-_

* * *

"Swan," a voice practically growls into her ear through the phone. A voice full of want and need, a voice barely restrained.

Emma immediately sits up in bed, sleep long forgotten.

"Hello?" she calls out uncertainly. "Who is this?" she doesn't recognize the number but the way her name rolls off the caller's tongue is familiar. And so is the way the need bleeds through each word, saturating the vowels and elongating the ends of sentences.

"Who else," the voice says gruffly. "I need your...help," it admits painfully, shamefully. "And I need it now."

"Regina," Emma breathes out, her heart racing a mile a minute as the dots connect. She wants to ask why the mayor is contacting her through her private number but the urgency in the mayor's voice holds her back. "What happened? What do you need?"

"I need you," the woman hisses on the other end and it's almost like a dream, no, better than a dream, that this is happening. Regina calling her, proclaiming that she wanted Emma the same way Emma wanted her. She shook her head to clear it, but it did nothing to stop the pounding between her thighs.

"Tell me, tell me what you need me to do," Emma whispers hotly, cradling the phone to her ear so she can hear every word.

"I need you to come here. _Now._ This is all your fault," the woman explains in a tense clenching of teeth. Emma nearly falls from bed in her hurry to get ready.

"I'll be there in ten. Where are you?" she asks as she chucks clothes haphazardly, looking for a clean pair.

"In my office."

This pauses Emma's mad dressing. "Your office? You're at work?"

"Just shut up and come here," Regina insists. "I don't have much time." And then she hangs up, leaving Emma befuddled, curious, and burning with arousal. What was going on with the mayor? Only going there would prove an answer.

She tossed her phone aside so her hands would be free to dress her before she brushed her teeth, hair, and grabbed an apple for the road because she hadn't had breakfast yet.

The drive over was short and Emma tapped her thumbs on the steering wheel uncertainly as she parked the car and looked up at the town building. She was nervous. Was the mayor in trouble? And if so, why hadn't she asked someone else to handle it. Why ask Emma of all people?

But a bigger part of Emma knew what this was about. She knew what Regina sounded like when she was in the throes of lust and this had definitely been one of those cases.

The ringing of her phone interrupted her musings and she answered it. "Are you here yet?" Regina demanded through the phone and Emma could just imagine her tapping her pointer finger impatiently on her crossed arms, brow arched.

"Yes, I am," Emma affirmed, getting out of her car.

"Then get on with it. I don't have all day," Regina sounded a bit more controlled this time and she hung up before Emma could ask how she would go inside. She couldn't very much just stride into the mayor's office without an appointment.

Still, she steeled herself and went up, trying to act confident and like she totally belonged here. If she acted like it, than maybe nobody would say anything. She was painfully aware of how her trusty red leather jacket stood out, but she hadn't exactly planned to go to the town office today.

She knew the mayor's office was on the top floor so she pressed the button for the elevator and rode up, wiping her sweaty hands on her jeans. She wished she was in her leathers right now. They always made her feel calm and in control no matter what.

The elevator dinged open and she strode out, seeing the secretary there rifling through papers. "Name and appointment time?" she asked without even looking up.

"Uh..." what did Emma say here? "I don't have one."

"Then I can't let you in," was the brisk no nonsense reply.

Emma scratched her head, brainstorming. "Look, I'll call up the mayor and prove to you I'm supposed to be here."

The girl finally looked up and arched a brow at Emma, taking in her tank top, tight jeans and red jacket. She was unimpressed and Emma felt anger boil up at being judged by someone who barely looked out of their teens. "I'm fairly certain the mayor wouldn't have business with you."

"And I'm fairly certain she does," Emma couldn't help from snapping out. She hated when others judged her for her appearance and lifestyle. Why couldn't they mind their own business and stop looking down on her?

Just as she opened her mouth to respond, no doubt nastily, her desk phone rang and she picked it up. Her features drew together as she listened to what the other end said. "Yes, I understand," the secretary nodded her head and then solemnly put the phone down and began to pack up her things. "Ms. Mills has informed me you are to be let through and I am to go on an early break so that I may think about being the consequences of being rude to her very important friends." She offered a tight smile here. "I apologize for my rude behavior," she said, the words thick in her throat and hard to come up. Then, pulling on her coat, she left with a click of heels. Emma watched until she was certain the girl had left in the elevator before pushing open the heavy mahogany doors.

Regina was seated behind her neat desk but just barely. As soon as Emma entered she stopped writing down whatever it was and jumped to her feet. "You took your time getting here," she said, striding over to Emma.

"What's the emergency?" Emma asked, not deigning to snap back at that. Regina was furious for some reason, and she was breathing oddly, two dots of color on her cheeks.

"This, is the emergency," Regina exclaimed in a heated hiss, pulling down the turtleneck she was wearing and revealing that she was in fact wearing the collar Emma had bought specifically for her.

Emma had to admire it for a second- the way the leather was tight around the cord of Regina's neck, making it harder for her to swallow, making it harder for her to breathe. It looked perfect there.

"It looks amazing on you. I don't see how that's an issue," Emma responded with, unconsciously licking her lips.

"The issue is, I can't get it off!" Regina whispered, grabbing Emma by the forearm and steering her to the couch in her nicely decorated office and sitting them both down. She was speaking in furtive tones, casting wary gazes to the door like any second the police would bust in and expose her kink.

Emma chuckled at this, enjoying seeing Regina flustered. "Someone couldn't wait to try it on. Got lonely? Missed me?"

"This isn't the time. I need this off and now!"

"But you can hide it just fine behind your turtleneck. Just hold on and when the day is over you can drop by my place and I'll give you the key to opening it up," Emma said casually. "You didn't have to wake me up for this."

Regina tensed her jaw, eyes furious and boring into Emma like she could wordlessly convey the real reason behind wanting to get this collar off. Emma got the meaning fairly quickly but she wasn't going to indulge. She wanted Regina to say it herself. "If that's all, I'll be on my way," she said casually, getting up to leave.

Regina's rough hand on her arm stopped her. "Miss Swan," she growled out, face dark.

"What?" Emma cocked a brow.

"Don't be coy," she warned.

"I'm not the one being coy. You are. Tell me why you want the collar off."

Regina and her stared off for a while until finally, Regina squirmed, pressing her thighs together in discomfort. "I...I'm getting turned on by it," she admitted in a low voice, looking down at the floor.

Emma chuckled at this. "Now, that is quite a predicament to be left in," Emma said. "But it's not my fault. No one told you to put the collar on. No one told you to get turned on by it. You're a filthy girl aren't you?" The blonde dominatrix couldn't help the way she naturally wanted to deride Regina. It was nice dropping the woman a couple of pegs down and it wasn't like the mayor didn't enjoy it. She did.

"Swan," Regina let her nails dig into the skin of Emma's jacket when the blonde moved to leave again. "You cannot seriously think of leaving me like this."

Emma's eyebrows rose up. Was the mayor suggesting what she thought she was suggesting? "Excuse me?"

"You're my...mistress," she dropped her voice to a barely there whisper at this, looking left and right as if there were spy cameras in place. "And you're supposed to take care of your sub."

"Regina," here Emma sat back down on the couch, bringing forth her genuine self. "You know how dangerous that would be. Especially in your work spot-"

"I don't care. I really don't care right now," Regina said simply. "You can either bring me back the key, or you can fuck me right now and here."

That sent a tremor of excitement through Emma. Oh, how she wanted that. Regina's desk was perfect for fucking and Emma could already imagine herself knuckle deep in the mayor, as the brunette was bent over. "Regina, you don't even seem comfortable about talking about your kink in your office, I don't think you're actually fine with us doing anything more."

"That's different," she said and Emma could not fathom how. But the mayor's eyes had lidded and she was looking on at Emma with unbridled lust and it was getting harder and harder to say no. "I don't want to hear us _talking_ about it, I want to hear us _doing_ it," Regina stressed, reaching out a hand and cupping Emma's chin and steering it closer to her plump lips.

The kiss was hot, tongues twining together in a medley of desire that had Regina curling her arms behind Emma's head and pressing into her like she wanted to melt and become one. Emma had to use all her core muscles to keep them upright on the couch, and she had to use all of her will to pull free to breathlessly make sure what they were doing wasn't something Regina would regret.

"While I normally don't mind fucking anywhere, our situation is a bit different. We have an NDA clause and I know when people get turned on it's sort of hard to think but I need to make sure you aren't going to regret this later," Emma said as Regina ducked her head down and laved at the pulse point on Emma's neck.

"Please shut up and do your job," Regina ordered and that flipped a switch in Emma. She pushed Regina back, eyes flashing. "You do not order me around, do you get that? If I decide to fuck you it's because I want to and not because you want it or even deserve it. Am I clear?"

Regina nodded her head as a delighted shiver rolled down her back. "Yes, mistress. But I can't help myself. Not when I can only think of you fucking me across my desk."

Emma sucked in a sharp breath, a motion that did not go unnoticed by Regina and which only pleased her. "What else have you been thinking of, pet? What dirty ideas ran through your mind once you put this collar on?"

"Thoughts of you making me walk on my knees on a leash. Of you treating me like your property, like trash, as you knocked over my office belongings and then threw me on the desk and had your way with me," Regina admitted breathlessly, trying to get closer to Emma but the blonde's arms still held her at bay.

"And have you been turned on all morning?" Emma whispered, not sure why she was whispering now. Maybe it was because she didn't normally hear Regina voice her wants openly and she wanted to hear every last bit.

"Yes," Regina groaned and shifted her thighs. "When you gave me that collar I tried to hold out and not wear it right away. I kept it hidden in the bottom of my drawer out of sight. But it kept calling to me and I needed to wear it. So I did last night when I was thinking of you, touching myself to you, and I fell asleep. And when I woke I couldn't take it off. And it aroused and frustrated me. I came to work, thinking maybe I could get through the day before asking you for the key-I was scared to ask at first, thinking you would punish me for putting it on without your permission. But I couldn't keep working while being this aroused and I needed...I needed to see you again," she admitted, shame on her face. Shame that Emma ate up like it was ice cream.

At this, Emma got up, heading for the door and Regina didn't stop her this time. She just sat, head bowed down. But Emma wasn't leaving. She was securing the lock, making sure it was snapped locked. Then, she pushed out her chest and turned to Regina, her stern cold mask in place. She took slow, strong steps to Regina, towering over the smaller woman on the couch.

"I won't punish you for putting on the collar," Emma decided, "but I will punish you for touching yourself without my permission," she jerked Regina's chin up harshly. "Your pussy belongs to me. Your orgasms belong to me. No one gets to touch it, not even you. Because all of you, is all _mine,_ " Emma hissed, watching as Regina shivered at the possessive words and their magnitude. "And you would do well to learn that."

"I only belong to you, mistress," Regina said reverently.

"Others may touch you, or think you theirs, but you know the truth- that you are mine and mine alone," Emma affirmed.

"I only belong to you, mistress," Regina repeated, wetting her lips.

The hand on her chin turned to a hand in her hair, yanking her up to her feet cruelly. "Then fucking act like it," Emma hissed out and tugged her, the woman stumbling in her heels to catch up, towards her desk where she was roughly pushed her down, ass sitting up in the air.

"You think you own your own body? You think you can do with it as you please?" Emma leaned down and hissed into Regina's ear, rubbing her head meanly into the hard wooden surface. Paperwork had scattered everywhere and Emma did an additional sweep that knocked over cups and pen holders and other office supplies. "If I tell you to talk, only then will you talk. If I tell you undress, then you will undress. If I tell you to do something, anything, only then can you do it. You cannot drink, eat, wash, even piss unless I tell you to, do you understand?"

"Yes," Regina gasped out, wriggling happily under the heavy weight of Emma's body.

"And that especially goes for your cunt." Here Emma slapped it viciously through the pants material and Regina's hips jerked up of their own accord. "I can do whatever I want with it. Fuck it, neglect it, worship it. And you don't get a damned say in the matter." Two more swift slaps were delivered that had Regina clawing at the wood of her desk with her manicured nails.

"No, I don't," she affirmed, breath ghosting across the top and fogging it.

"That's what I thought. Now take off your pants so I can fuck you like the slut you are."

Regina only too happily obliged, reaching back clumsily due to Emma relentlessly holding her down and shimmed them down with some difficulty.

Oh how Emma wished she could do more with the mayor. Walking her around, tugging her by a long leash, would be perfection, but instead she would have to work with what she had and quickly. She didn't want to extend this play session for too long. The stakes were too high for that.

Emma knew what they were doing was dangerous. But while Regina liked to pretend to be Emma's slave, it was in fact Emma who was the slave, jumping to please Regina whenever the occasion called and being all too happy to do so.

Regina's underwear was soaked, the red lace clinging to her lips obscenely enough to make Emma groan. What she wouldn't give to taste her. Maybe another time. Instead she slowly drew a finger down the whole length, feeling the woman twitching under her. She held back a muffled groan.

"Hands above your head," Emma instructed and Regina did as asked, holding them out. "If I see them descend then I'll spank you and with your office job behind a desk, trust me, you wouldn't want me to or else you won't be sitting for a week."

One hand still holding Regina down, she used the other to push her underwear aside, fingers tip toeing up and down her cunt like light raindrops. Too delicate and maddeningly persistent in number but not enough to actually behold the force of a torrential downpour.

"Mistress," Regina huffed out petulantly.

"What did I tell you? This cunt is mine and I will fuck it how I please," she growled, bending down to nip painfully at Regina's neck. The collar got in the way but the skin around it was extra sensitive due to strained capillaries and drew a pleased gasp from Regina.

"Of course mistress. So sorry, mistress."

"You don't sound very sorry to me," Emma continued to thrum her fingers. "And you don't feel it either. Do you get this wet disrespecting me?"

"No, mistress-"

She was cut off by a sharp slap to her ass cheek. It made her inhale sharply with the unexpected force behind it.

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying. I only wish to please you."

Another slap, this time to the other ass cheek.

"Still lying."

"I'm not!"

Two slaps this time, spread out evenly. "Do not take that tone with me."

Regina swallowed down her frustrations at this and took a moment to parse her words. "Mistress, I am wet because I get turned on by your vulgar words and the way you touch me and deride me. Not from me deriding you," Regina explained.

"I hope that is the case, or else I may just have to find a new pet. A pet that is better at behaving than you are."

Regina completely stilled at this.

That was odd.

"Regina?" Emma asked softly.

"Do you mean that?" came out her wobbly answer. "You'll replace me that easily?"

Whoa, Emma had not been expecting that response. It was something she had just casually thrown out without a care for the repercussions of it.

At once she pulled Regina up and spun her into her arms. The woman sagged into them, burying her face into the crook of Emma's neck. A sniffle followed. "I didn't mean that," Emma reassured. "I was only saying it to be mean. I wouldn't give you up for the world. You are the best damn pet I've ever had," she said, meaning every word she said as she stroked the mayor's soft hair.

The mayor didn't say anything, just held Emma to her for a while and Emma held her back, not sure what else to do.

"I don't want to lose you mistress," Regina said and Emma couldn't tell how much of this was an act and how much it was strangely something more. But why would the mayor actively be worried about Emma leaving her? There were so many other dominatrix's to choose from. The mayor could have any one she wanted.

"What can I do to prove that I'm your loyal pet? That I live to serve you?" Regina pulled away, cupping Emma's cheeks in her hands.

"You don't have to prove anything," Emma assured, feeling bad for having made the mayor feel insecure. But without outright admitting her feelings, there was no way her words would truly reassure the brunette.

"But I want to," Regina stressed.

"Perhaps another time, pet," Emma declined. "We don't have a lot of time. I'm guessing your secretary only has a half hour for lunch and we've already spent ten minutes of it not having you cum. I want to amend that."

Emma was jittery about getting caught. There was no way for her fear to be eradicated even with arousal pounding through her veins. Regina probably felt safe with her, which meant Emma was doing a great job as a dom if the woman felt safe like this, if the woman trusted her explicitly without saying it. Despite that, the risk was heavy and it was time to finish this.

Without warning, Emma grabbed the front of the mayor's shirt and pushed her onto the desk, before tugging it off and throwing it elsewhere. This left the mayor's heaving but bra clad chest on display. Emma couldn't have that. The bra went off too and Emma lowered her head to give the needed attention to Regina's stiff nips, looking so hard that they must be painful. She sucked one and then the other, covering them in saliva. The mayor moaned and writhed on the wood, arching her chest up harder into Emma's mouth. Emma slapped her other tit in reprimand but this only spurred Regina on more.

Not wasting anymore time, Emma spread Regina's legs as far open as they would go before positioning herself between them, throwing one leg over hers, and pressing her crotch to Regina's wet heat. She rocked hard from the start, pressing so hard into Regina that the edge of the desk bit into the mayor's lower back painfully, but not enough to draw her attentions away from the pleasure growing between her legs.

The friction of the jeans was just enough to push her over the edge and she came with a howl that Emma tried to silence by slapping a hand over her mouth to contain. But it was too late and Emma whipped her head to the door as if worried someone would be pounding on it, asking about the noise.

Regina's hips twitched as she finished coming, having drenched the front of Emma's jeans. Her head fell back with a relieved thump and her glazed over eyes stared up at the ceiling.

"I'm going to have to go now," Emma informed, regretting not taking off her pants. It looked like she'd pissed herself. "But drop by my place later for the key." Without another word she strode off, grabbing some papers to strategically place in front of her crotch as she made a hasty exit. She saw the secretary returning back from lunch on her way out and hoped Regina had enough time to compose herself.

* * *

There was no doubt as to who was knocking on Emma's door at exactly six on the dot. She opened it up to find the mayor bundled up in scarves and wearing oversized glasses to hide her identity.

"Oh, so you do know how not to break into people's apartments," she said dryly as greeting and Regina brushed past her to inside.

"I wouldn't break in if I didn't have reason to in those previous times." She began to undress from her outerwear, pulling down the turtleneck so as to bare her collar to Emma. "Key. Now."

"Someone's demanding."

"You would be too if it kept you riled up."

"Ah, but it looks so pretty there. And it makes me happy to see my claim on you," Emma said, not quite sure what possessed her to come over and drop a kiss at the back of Regina's neck while she had her back to her. There was a sharp inhale from the mayor. "Did my help from before not sustain you?"

There was a shake of the head.

"Really?" Emma arched a brow in surprise, shocked that this had been the case.

"It wasn't enough. It's never enough," Regina said in a shaken and broken whisper, the admission baring her soul.

In that moment Emma wanted to do a thousand different things to her, but through sheer will she held herself back, only kissing the back of her neck again. "There are so many delicious things I could do to you. Things beyond your wildest dreams. So many ways I could ruin you," Emma said in a low voice right into Regina's ear as she soothed hands up and down the mayor's trembling arms. Her head had fallen back onto Emma's shoulder and she was breathing heavily. "And then you would have no choice but to be mine forever because no one would want you after they found out how sick and twisted you are. How depraved. How much of a slut."

Regina's ass ground into Emma's crotch as a soft moan left her mouth. "I'm only a slut for you."

"Is that so?" Emma said, gripping Regina's hips to still them.

"Yes. Only you," she swore. She turned without warning, arms slipping around Emma's waist. "Let me prove it to you. Let me prove from earlier today I can be the best pet for you." It seemed Regina wanted to continue with that specific vein of play even though it had made her sort of upset last time. Interesting. Maybe she liked it so much because it made her feel even more humiliated?

Either way, that was an enticing offer. And so many ways it could be fulfilled.

"Then if you want to prove how good of a pet you are, get on your knees."

Regina got down without question at that demanding tone. Emma went upstairs, knowing exactly what she was going to use on Regina. The leash was long and made of chained links. It would be perfect with this collar. Downstairs Regina was still waiting for her on her knees and that made her happy. The leash went in place with a soft clink.

"Now, I want you to beg," Emma said, face hard. "Beg for my favor."

Regina immediately clung onto Emma's leg, wrapping her whole body around it.

"Please mistress, don't leave me. Let me be your pet. I'll do anything you tell me to. I'll eat only the foods you feed me, drink the drinks you give me. I won't even touch myself unless you dictate it-"

"All things which are expected of you already," Emma cut in, unimpressed, and that spurned Regina on even more, brown eyes pleading.

"Then I'll give you all of me. You can fuck me whenever you want-"

"I already own that pretty little cunt of yours," Emma reminded, savagely tugging on the chain and making the collar choke Regina slightly. "You're going to have to try harder than that."

This brought panic to Regina's face when she realized she didn't have anything else to offer. "Mistress...I don't...I don't know what else-"

"I already own all of you. There is nothing you can offer to keep me around," she sneered darkly, tugging even harder on the chain, and cutting Regina's air flow off.

This was something new and Emma had to make sure they were okay. "What color?"

"Green," Regina wheezed out, eyes rolling into the back of her head from pleasure and hands clawing at Emma's leg but not even attempting to pull the collar off to bring more air in.

"Good," Emma said softly before her demeanor hardened once more. "You're so worthless that I could even replace you right now. Break you until no one else wanted you, until you were valueless to anyone. And I wouldn't even feel bad about it."

Regina's face was getting red now and Emma relented her hold on the chain so she could gulp in some air.

"What do you think I should do?" she asked cruelly. "Should I use you one last time and break you and toss you away? Or should I keep you?"

"No, keep me, please," Regina begged, voice hoarse and a horrified whisper. Her hands clung harder into Emma's leg, so hard it stung but Emma didn't say anything. Instead, she tightened the leash, wrapping it around her hand and making Regina's neck fling all the way back as it strained against the hold. "I don't think I care for the way you are ordering me to do things."

All that came out were gasps from Regina's throat, as she tried to speak but couldn't. Counting to ten seconds in her head, Emma let go then and Regina collapsed onto her haunches, inhaling as much air as she could, speaking in a shaken tone. "I'm sorry, mistress."

"I think you should get on your hands and knees. Keep your back straight," Emma ordered as Regina got into position. "Back straight," she corrected and once Regina complied, Emma sat down on it. She felt Regina waver under her weight.

"Hold me up, pet, and don't let me down. If you do, I'll punish you harshly."

"Yes, mistress," Regina said.

But it wouldn't be that easy. With one hand, Emma slowly reached around and undid the buttons on the mayor's pants. She tugged them down and she could feel Regina burning up with questions but she stayed silent. Emma rubbed a hand over her ass, down to the apex of her thighs, where predictably, she was wet. "Dripping wet again. What am I to do with you?" Pretending to think, she traced a pattern over the wet patch before arriving to a conclusion. "I think I'll fuck you. But you better not drop me." She slid her fingers in and was greeted by warmth.

Regina groaned at the touch, her body shaking already. There was no way she would be able to keep the both of them up but it would be interesting to see her try. Emma's fingers moved fast, not giving Regina mercy. The poor woman was shaking and panting underneath Emma, looking for all the world like Atlas with his burden.

"Oh god," she groaned out when she had to lower her head so it could touch the floor.

"Up, pet," Emma swatted her cunt twice and Regina jerked up, only to falter once more as soon as Emma's fingers reentered her.

It wouldn't take long. Emma corkscrewed her fingers and it was over. Regina lowered her head to the floor, dropping her arms flat as she came, Emma getting up just before that. She watched Regina finish riding out her orgasm on the floor disapprovingly.

"I gave you a simple task and you couldn't even do that. Go upstairs, and strip. Leave the collar on."

Regina got to her feet and did as asked leaving Emma with her thoughts as she hurries to pick out a flogger for this occasion.

What is Emma even doing? This is all off the record. They never agreed to having a session and yet they've had not only one but two today.

This is bad. Emma's losing her touch. She's becoming too soft. To make up for it she's extra cruel in her punishments, flogging Regina hard enough to leave red welts. That only pleases the woman who shivers and pants and grunts into another orgasm. She collapses onto her stomach on Emma's bed and Emma stops then, breathing heavy and worried that she might have actually hurt Regina.

"Are you okay?" she kneels next to her, brushes her hair aside from her open mouth.

"Just fine," Regina murmurs, trying to regain her senses, eyes glazed over with her past orgasms.

"Stay here. I need to give you some cream to soothe the marks. I don't want them to hurt," Emma rises up and digs around in her bag while Regina waits. The cream goes on easily and Regina sighs in relief. They stay silent a while and the shared knowledge that what they did wasn't booked hangs between them. Emma isn't brave enough to bring it up.

"That was...unusual," the mayor comments as Emma continues rubbing healing ointment.

"What was?" Emma asks, not sure what is being referred to.

"We didn't schedule an appointment." Regina lifts her head and looks back at Emma who busies herself with Regina's sore ass.

Emma wets her lips, unsure as what to say. Technically, it was her fault for letting this happen. She should know better. "Consider this a thank you to the mayoral office for taking care of the town's less savory services when they were...uh, sick." There, maybe that would work.

At this Regina turned onto her back, sitting up and covering her breasts with her arm for modesty. Which wasn't necessary since Emma had seen it all. And it also robbed her of the chance to see Regina's magnificent breasts.

Her eyes were serious. "You didn't have to thank me in this manner for helping you when you were sick. I did it because I wanted to."

Emma's mouth felt dry for another reason rather than arousal. "I figured you could use it. Some nice stress relief. And besides, I am your dom. It would be bad practice if I didn't take care of you given the situation you were in. But don't think I'll start doing this all the time."

Regina looked touched by this which meant Emma's lies- which she realized were half lies to a certain extent- were working. Clearing her throat to stop whatever this was from progressing, Emma got a key out from the drawer and unclipped the collar from around Regina's neck, the woman holding up her sable locks out the way.

"Here's the collar. Don't wear it unless we're having a session."

"Why don't you just give me the key?"

"Because you have no self control," Emma said knowingly and was proved right when Regina flushed. "You'll put it on and jill off to thoughts of me each night if I give you it."

Regina couldn't deny that fact so she didn't. "I'm booking one session with you for next month. The first Saturday."

Emma gave a curt response, deciding it was best for Regina to leave now. "See you then."

Only two real sessions left.

* * *

As Emma enters the sliding doors of Poor Souls for another day of work, Ursula greets her.

"You got a busy schedule today, darling," he saddles up to her, holding out her paper. "Got two regulars and a new customer," he says as they walk to the changing room. He leaves her there to peruse the form. It's going to be a busy night. Three sessions back to back, an hour and a half each. She gets out her stuff from her locker and begins to ready herself.

"How's your night looking, Swan?" Tink asks when she comes into the room from one of her recently completed sessions. She's done for the night by the looks of it, wiping lipstick off as she goes.

"Full night. Even got some new customer I have not much information on," she frowns because that's odd. Ursula will usually have a file constructed but it seems there wasn't much to go on as this was a last minute booking through their receptionist and Emma is only allowed to do those if they pay a hefty enough price. Who ever they are they can afford the price tag.

"New customer? You lucky girl. You're going to snatch up everyone that comes in through our door at this rate," Tink teased as she swatted Emma on the behind playfully.

"You act like I ask for this. Sometimes I can't even catch a break in between," Emma said as she applied the finishing touches to her make up.

"If you don't want them, you can always send them to me," Mulan offered.

"You still a dominatrix?" Emma asked. "Given all that Zelena does to you, I'm surprised you're not a sub yet."

Mulan shot her a foul glare. "It doesn't mean I can't be versatile. Besides, you can't say no to that woman." Her eyes looked haunted and Emma let out a worried chuckle here. She'd have to grill Zelena on what exactly she and Mulan got up to. She didn't want the red head breaking Mulan anymore than she already had. The dominatrix was already wearing more green than usual. Not a good sign.

She got up, clicking her palette closed, and fluffing out her blonde curls left to meet her new customer. They were already in the room, and Emma entered it, cat like grin on her face that dropped as soon as she saw who it was. Her heart seemed to stop, and the world rocked to a halt as all the air left her lungs.

The brunette in the room, long glittering hair over her back, turned around, her beautiful face accented by the dramatic lighting in the playroom. "Well, didn't expect to see you still in the same profession after all these years."

"What are you doing here Lily?" Emma managed out of a throat too dry, feeling like she was underwater- too slow and a heavy weight on top of her that made it hard to move, to breathe.

"I think that's obvious. I'm here for you to dominate me," she said, sitting down in a chair and spreading her legs enticingly. "So do it."

 **A/N: This chapter happened purely because I wanted a smut scene in the office and was like 'I'll be damned if I don't make it happen somehow.' So here it is.**

 **Also, watch the video to the song in this chapter. You'll thank me later ;)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Adrenalize Me**

* * *

 _No love (No, no love)  
I made the promise  
No love (No, no)  
No cryin' or worries_

 _-No Love, Maruv-_

* * *

 **A/N: Had a bit of trouble writing this chapter. Not for lack of ideas, but for having too many. There were so many routes the Lily plotline could go down and I wanted to use all of them at once, but I couldn't or else it wouldn't make much sense. I hope the one I settled on is enjoyable somewhat and ramps up the action in the story a bit. It's going to be evolved over the span of a couple of chapters.**

"Swan," the name twirled on Lily's tongue as if she was tasting it, tipping her head back a bit to swallow the satisfaction of saying it down. "Even your name hasn't changed. Tell me, how's your life going?"

"Fuck you," snapped out of Emma's mouth. "You know how my life was going to go after you left me cruelly!"

"I didn't expect for me to be so important to you. Were you anticipating us to actually last? With you as a sex worker and me an upcoming politician?" Lily rolled her eyes, words disgustingly thick in smugness and disaffect. "Please," she scoffed, rife with derision.

"I don't know why you're back here but I'm not putting up with your shit again," Emma said sternly and with fire raging in her veins she span around and stormed out of the room, heels carrying her to Ursula's office. She didn't bother with knocking, just slammed the door right open.

"Swan, what the hell!" Ursula snapped, jolting out of his chair. He dropped the papers in his hands.

"I should be asking you that!" Emma pointed back in the direction she came from. "You wanna tell me what the hell Lily is doing in my room? With an appointment?"

"Lily?" his brow furrowed up in confusion, a bit slow on the sudden uptake.

"As in the fucking woman who broke my heart!"

Realization flashed across his brown eyes. "How did she-" he cut himself off here. "That sly bitch must have used a false profile!" he got up and opened one of the metal filing cabinets and began to pull out folder after folder until he got to the right one. He opened it up and showed it to Emma. "This is who signed up for your last minute appointment."

Emma snatched the file away rudely and looked it over. Fake name, fake picture. Of course. "Why the hell would she go through all this effort just to have me dominate her? Why the fuck is she even back in Storybrooke?" She shook the file, taking out her rage on it.

"I don't know, but she's sure as hell not stepping foot in my establishment ever again," he growled out and rolled up the sleeves of his long sleeved shirt. He side stepped around Emma and went to handle the situation. Emma stayed where she was, just trying to calm herself down. To keep her breaths even, to stop her body from shaking.

She sat down on Ursula's chair, raking hands through her carefully made hair and mussing it up. Why the hell was Lily back? Why now? And what did she want from Emma?

Emma knew now that Lily was a manipulative asshole, so if she was here than it certainly wasn't just for a quick hello. She hoped this would be the last she would see of Lily, but oh, how wrong she would be.

"Is she gone?" she asked Ursula when he came back.

"Yes."

If only it would be that easy to get rid of her every time.

* * *

Even though the town was big enough that Emma and Lily shouldn't reasonably run into each other, they did.

The first time had been in the local grocery store, the one Emma always shopped at. Emma had seen the brown haired woman in an aisle, ducked past it, and left her basket of groceries before ducking out. The second time had been at the park, when Emma had gone on a jog and seen Lily jogging down the same path as her and she did an about face and raced down in the opposite direction. She didn't know if Lily had seen her but she hoped she hadn't.

The third time had been at a bar on Friday night, when Lily had spotted her and waved, making to approach her. Emma had ducked out without finishing her drink. And the fourth time had been on the street, the two of them bumping into each other almost violently as they rounded the corner.

"Sorry, didn't see you there," Lily had smirked, catching Emma. Emma had rightened her balance, and slapped Lily's hands off of her. "I bet you didn't," Emma growled out, side stepping her and rushing away.

And after the fifth time they ran into each other in the course of one week, Emma was getting fed up.

"I'm just here to use the gym like an other person here," Lily answered, tilting her head and blinking at Emma like she was crazy. How the hell did Lily know where Emma was each time? It was like she was stalking her. But how? She didn't have enough time to do such a thing. Surely she was here on important political business. So then had she hired someone to do it for her? To keep tabs on Emma?

The thought creeped Emma out. She felt unsafe enough to even leave her apartment and when she did it was always in disguise. At least the woman hadn't violated the privacy of her home yet.

The sixth time this meet up happened- Emma coming home at night from the gym and predictably running into Lily when she went to go buy a water from the cafe- she was fed up. She glared angrily at Lily and stormed out, the woman following after her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lily asked, her heels clicking loudly on the concrete. They sounded like evil creatures chasing down Emma.

"Away from you," was the spat response.

"Can you just stop and talk to me a second?" Lily pleaded and it was the pleading tone that managed to slow Emma down until she looked at Lily. Such a weak tone wasn't usually what came from Lily's mouth unless it was during their sessions. And damn it, now Emma was thinking about their sessions.

"What could I possibly have to talk about with you?" she asked, squaring her jaw. They stood under a lamppost, several moths fluttering about. The weather had gotten warmer, winter turning to spring, but not just warm enough and a chilly breeze made Emma shiver when it blew across her sweaty back.

Lily ran her eyes over Emma's form. It was a look Emma knew well. One the brunette did when naughty thoughts ran in her head. Emma felt stripped in that moment, and she wished she could cover herself. She didn't enjoy Lily mentally stripping her. Once upon a time, maybe. But not now.

"About a lot of things. I wanted to apologize for what I did to you. For leaving you like I did. It was immature of me. I panicked." Lily let out a blustery sigh and her voice sounded honest now. Gone were the traces of smugness in it. She took a step closer to Emma who stiffened up at the intense look in Lily's eyes. "I was involved in a relationship with a...trade worker, and I was getting too attached for someone who needed to become a politician. Who was supposed to marry a man and live a happy life with him. And I did a terrible thing and left you in the lurch. And I know my apology is five years too late but I wanted to say it. And I wanted to make it up to you."

"And you're doing that by stalking me?"

Lily flushed here. "I'll stop that. You just weren't making it easy for me to contact you."

Good. Hopefully no one would be following her- whatever private eye Lily had hired, now dropped.

"Like you said, your apology is five years too late," Emma said flatly. She honestly hadn't expected the woman to apologize and it had thrown her off her tilt. "But better later than never."

Lily cracked a smile, a small tentative thing. "Good. And I know I can't ever truly make it up to you, but will you let me invite you to dinner?" She ran a hand up and down Emma's arm. Emma didn't like that touch- it reminding her of how they had shared casual caresses before, before Emma had been left with a bleeding heart.

"Um, I don't know-" because Emma didn't want to interact any more with Lily than she had to.

"It'll be a small thing. And you won't be alone. My husband will be there, and a couple of my new co-workers."

"I suppose that's fine," Emma gave in. What could be the harm? Dinner, and then Lily would leave her the fuck alone after. Hopefully.

"Great," Lily smiled. "I can't wait to see you there."

* * *

Emma found herself on the stoop of Lily's house Thursday evening. She had on a nice dress and had even curled her hair, yet she couldn't stop from feeling nervous. She wanted to run. But if she got through this, if she endured it, than she wouldn't have to see Lily ever again, was what she kept telling herself.

Lily's husband opened the door. He was a young and decent looking man. A bit thin and scrawny and with nerdy glasses on his nose. His attire was a plaid shirt tucked into black pants. "You must be the close friend Lily mentioned. I'm August, her husband."

"Emma Swan." Emma shook his hand.

"Come in. Dinner just started," he said, leading her into the house. The place looked like it had been recently moved into, with some boxes of belongings still unpacked. The smell of ham wafted over to Emma and her stomach growled while she was thrown back to the time when Lily would cook for Emma. Her specialty was smoked and glazed ham. She could always make a mean one.

The dining room was full, and Lily rose to her feet as soon as she saw Emma come in. "Emma!" she pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the cheek. All done so quickly that all Emma could do was awkwardly pat her on the back and smile crookedly. "So glad you could make it."

"Yea, uh, me too," she responded with as Lily tugged her by the elbow and sat her down in an empty seat. An empty seat right next to Robin.

What was he doing here? He smiled at her and as Emma let herself do a scan of the other guests, she felt a ball grow of unease in the pit of her stomach. Regina was there, staring at Emma with a sort of appalled and questioning look. Other than that, Emma didn't really know any of the guests but she guessed they must be politicians. They were all men, about three of them, one with his wife and the other two without.

Emma avoided Regina's gaze and focused on her plate, which had already been fixed for her, just the way Lily remembered. A lot of meat and carbs and little to no veggies.

"Lily, who is this stunning young woman you have brought to our meeting?" phrased one of the men in such a way that it sounded nice but Emma really knew it was something like, why the fuck is a dumb blonde here?

"She's an old friend of mine, and I haven't had any time to catch up with her. I figured dinner would be a great chance to do that, and, she might even provide great feedback to our discussion on re-zoning laws."

"She has a political science background then?" asked the same guy before. Emma was going to call him fuck face for his annoying questions. He was making her feel more uncomfortable than she already did. She knew she was out of her element here.

"No," Lily waved that off.

"You went to school together?" asked another, this one with a thick white mustache.

"No. We know each other from mutual hobbies. We both like to exercise a lot and we clicked upon first seeing each other," Lily said and Emma wished she would be a little less coy about the subject she was talking about. Emma could feel a glare concentrating on her from the right side where Regina sat, and so she sipped her water and ignored it.

"So Emma," asked August. "What do you do?"

"Uh, I'm a personal trainer," she quickly fibbed. She regretted coming to this dinner so much already. Why had she been stupid enough to agree?

"You should train me again someday. I could really use a nice workout. Sitting behind bureaucratic desks all day can be unhealthy," Lily suggested, a smirk sliding onto her face as she looked at Emma. Emma ignored her look too, training her eyes solely on the ham on her plate.

"Same here," mustache man said.

"Back to our political talk," Fuck Face interrupted, thankfully saving Emma from further discussion of her pretend job. "What can we do about the school? Too many parents want Storybrooke high to be rezoned into the public sector so that low economic socio classes can attend the school as well. But parents of high social class don't want that. They want their school to remain private so that buses can't bring kids from other sectors over."

"I intend to make a section of the government here dedicated to education only. Which is something that should have been done a while ago," Lily shot a sharp look at Regina, no doubt this a barb at the current mayoral office.

Regina did not miss a beat in response. "Given our limited budget, I wish you the best of luck in finding enough funding for that."

"I happen to have a lot of financiers from an out of state pool. Perks of being able to work in several sphere and levels of government as opposed to being dedicated to one stale position," Lily shot back. "That's why Cora Mills hired me to the chief administrator spot, so I could oversee the allocation of money and resources to different departments."

Wait. Hold on.

Emma might not know a lot about politics but it seemed like Lily had a high ranking job here. A _permanent_ job. Which meant she had moved back to Storybrooke to stay.

Oh no.

Emma found she couldn't find her appetite. She quickly excused herself from the table.

In the bathroom she ran the tap and leaned into the sink, trying to catch her breath. She had thought Lily was only here to visit family or something. Not for work. Emma had been foolish to not realize this before.

Shit. What did she do now? Maybe she was being a bit childish, but she really didn't want to have to see her ex around, especially when that ex knew what her job was and such. Inhaling deeply she shut the tap off, unable to even splash her face because she had make up, and steeled her nerves to go back outside. She had the rest of an unpleasant dinner to go through.

Dinner, finally and tortuously was over in about an hour, with dessert and drink served at the end. Emma had to keep herself from drinking down the whole bottle and it certainly didn't help that she could feel Regina's eyes on her from time to time.

They talked about more politics, golfing, the weather, upcoming tax breaks and that sort of thing. Emma mainly kept her mouth shut until finally they began to leave one by one. Emma would have offered to go first but Lily had whispered into her ear that Emma needed to stay behind because Lily needed to give her something.

Emma felt cautious at that idea but reluctantly stayed, because Lily's hold on her wrist had been tight and claw like. At last it was only Lily, August, Emma, Regina and Robin. They all sat on couches facing each other.

"Emma, you've been awfully quiet this whole evening," Robin unhelpfully pointed out.

"She probably feels out of her element," Regina murmured to him.

"It's kind of funny is all. Given that Emma is friends with you and Lily-both politicians- you'd think she'd known enough about politics second hand." He chuckled.

The look Regina sent him was purely murderous and Emma would have sent him one too if she could glare as good as Regina could. Instead, the ball of unease in her stomach tightened.

"Oh," Lily made an intrigued sound. "I didn't know you knew Emma, Regina. You exercise with her too?" she asked and Emma was mutely panicking for Regina, because they both knew Lily didn't mean actual exercise. Emma was about to spit out some fake story- when Regina beat her to it.

"I actually know her through my sister. Zelena's here visiting, for who knows how long, and she meet miss Swan at some bar. The two of them became friends and as a result I sort of know Emma through that method." Regina said coolly, though there was a little tick under her eye that belied her upset nature at this question. Emma let out a sigh of relief, almost sagging against the couch. They had dodged a bullet there. What the hell was Lily even doing, questioning Regina about such things? Maybe it had been an innocent question? Maybe she was just trying to get to know the mayor better? She was going to work under her after all.

"I see," Lily said, clicking her tongue. "And once you meet Emma, it's kind of hard to shake her off. She has a way of burying deep inside you and staying there."

Emma felt the tip of her ears burn, flushing on such an innuendo. Regina's face remained stoic but there was a hint of color to her cheeks that hadn't been there before. "I suppose. Though I don't know her all too well."

"Regina's hard pressed to admit anyone's her friend," Robin joked, touching Regina on the knee. "Even if said person is bringing you food when you're sick and lying in bed."

 _Robin shut up!_ Emma's and Regina's face were matching masks of frustration at the man's loose tongue. Though it wasn't his fault. He didn't know about their secret arraignment behind his back.

Before Lily could comment on that, Emma spoke up. "Lily, I actually don't know much about how you married August. Tell me about it." Half of that was a salty barb to Lily up and leaving Emma behind, and the other half was a panicked attempt at steering the conversation to safer grounds.

"I'm afraid there's not much romance there," August explained. "It was a bit of an arraigned match. Both our families wanted us together and the two of us decided it would work out since we shared many similar interests and so we got married."

"And we're happy. You would think arraigned marriages couldn't work in this day, but they do, as long as you're both willing to compromise and learn to live with each other," Lily finished, leaning over to peck her husband on the cheek.

"How did the two of you meet?" August asked Regina and Robin. Robin was all too happy to launch into a gushing rendition of how they first met. Regina smiled and nodded along but Emma could tell that her heart wasn't really into this conversation. Her eyes kept sneaking back to Emma's form, wordless questions in her eyes as to how the hell Emma kept managing to get herself into such situations. Emma herself had to wonder. It wasn't like she intended herself to end up like this.

Eventually chatter died down and Robin and Regina had to go. "It was lovely to have you over for dinner," Lily said in goodbye and then it was just August, Lily and Emma.

"I'll be in the den," August said, rushing out to go there and leaving Lily to do the washing up. Emma decided she might as well lend a hand too. "Shouldn't he help?" she couldn't resist from asking.

"He already cooked all of this food, except for the ham, of course. And he's busy doing quests for this video game competition. Who am I to say no if it brings in some extra cash?"

Lily washed the dishes and Emma dried them, silence falling over them. This was so domestic, just like it had once been between them. But Emma knew better than to fantasize playing house.

Once they were done, Lily told Emma to wait while she went to fetch something. Emma hoped it wouldn't take too long because she needed to head home. It was already 11 at night.

Lily took her time coming down and when she did it was with a small red box.

"I wanted to give you something. To slowly add to my ever growing apology," Lily said, holding out the box in front of her. Emma took it with tentative fingers, opening it up to reveal a Rolex. Feminine and slim so it wasn't too clunky, it was a light pink and encrusted with crystals. Emma's eyes bulged out. This was an expensive gift.

"Lily..." Emma didn't know what to say. So she didn't say anything.

"I had a lot of time to think and grow from our break up and I know I hurt you deeply. I treated you like you were nothing when that wasn't the case. So please, take this watch as a sign of the time we spent apart but also the time I spent mentally berating myself for my rude actions."

Emma looked at Lily now. Really looked at her. Took in her straight brown and long hair. The respectable clothing she wore. The light make up on her face covering bags under her eyes. Her face had matured. Grown more sharper and her eyes while containing a spark of mischief in them, were toned down.

Perhaps she had changed. Perhaps she was better now. And maybe having her in the town wouldn't be too bad. Emma shouldn't judge her too quickly.

"Thank you," Emma said, a strange lump in her throat.

"Let's start off the right way, Emma. Let's start off as friends." She pulled Emma into a hug. And this time Emma didn't resist her touch.

* * *

"You'll never guess whose back in town," Lily told Neal and Belle while she dealt out the cards for their game three days later. They were playing Uno.

"Who?" Neal asked, slurping on his beer.

"Lily," Emma answered as she finished dealing.

"No, really?" Belle gasped out.

"I thought I saw someone who looked like her walking around town but I wasn't sure," Neal said, picking up his cards. "What is she doing back here?"

"Get this. She's working for the city government. Right under the mayor."

"How the hell did she get this job?" Belle asked as she placed down a card on the growing pile.

"She got it from this woman named Cora or something. So this means she's pretty much here to stay."

"Oh, sweetie, that's going to be hard on you," Belle said sympathetically, rubbing Emma comfortingly on the knee before putting down a draw four. Emma scowled and picked up the four cards.

"That's not the strangest part," Emma added, using a reverse and then a skip. Neal stuck out his tongue at her. "What's weird is that she spent a good chunk of two weeks finding me around town before she came up to me and apologized for the way she treated me five years ago."

"That is weird. Why would she do that?" Neal asked.

Emma shrugged. "I don't know. At first I thought she was only fucking around with me, because I know she can be manipulative, but she seemed sincere this time. She seemed like she's grown up into a better person."

"Or maybe that's what she wants you to think," Belle offers because they remember all too well how broken Emma had been after Lily ran out on her.

Emma shrugs, not sure what to do. "It's not like I'm jumping to be her friend. Or even truly happy she's back in Storybrooke. But maybe it's time for me to move on from that hurt that she's instilled in me."

"Uno!" Belle shouts and slaps a card down.

"Be watchful that she doesn't play all her cards," Neal warns and whether he's talking about Belle or Lily, Emma doesn't know or think on, because she's too busy trying to get rid of her excess cards.

* * *

A ringing cell phone wakes Emma up and she doesn't even have to look at the caller ID to know who it is that is calling her.

"How long are you going to stay in this town?" Emma groans at Zelena when the woman rings her up on a dreary Sunday morning. She's too tired and annoyed to even offer a hello.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Zelena gasps, not offended at all.

"I thought you hated this place," Emma explained, rolling over and trying to suffocate in her pillow. Maybe that way she wouldn't have to talk to Zelena at this ungodly hour. It was six in the morning.

"I did. Still do. It's just not that bad anymore. It kinda grows on you. Like a fungus."

"Gross."

"Anyways, I was calling you because I want to go fishing."

Emma thinks the woman is joking. When she figures out she's not, she groans out a "What? Fishing? Are you serious?"

"I am."

"You're not the fishing type."

"Does one have to be a fishing type to go fishing? What does that sort of type even look like?" Zelena questioned and it was too much for Emma's sleep deprived brain to handle answering those questions.

"Fine. I'll be there. But don't expect me to actually catch anything." And she hung up and got dressed to meet Zelena at StoryLake which was a good thirty minute drive up the mountains. Zelena was already waiting on the rocky shore with a pair of galoshes on and fishing equipment laying by her side.

"So what kind of fish are we looking for?" Emma asked wearily as she trudged up and put on the offered pair of shoes. Why or why did she do the stupid things Zelena asked her to do? She supposed that was what friends did. And she knew the green wearing woman could use a good friend in this town.

"Well, it's hard to find. Small. Hard. Round. And kind of golden colored."

That's not like any fish Emma has heard of. "What's it called?"

"It's a ring. We're looking for a ring," Zelena blurts out, ditching the fishing pole and wading straight into the water.

That finally jolts Emma awake. "A ring? Why the hell are you looking for a ring in the lake?"

"Because Mulan gave it to me," is the casual-too casual- answer.

Emma needs a second to process this. "Wait. Mulan gave you an engagement ring?" Hadn't they known each other for only three months at this point?

"Yes."

"How?" How had Zelena enchanted the normally stoic woman to propose so quickly?

Zelena flashed a cocky grin. "I'm just that good."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Than why is it in the lake right now?"

At this she actually looks sheepish. "I may or may not have taken and thrown it off in a fit of uncertainty as if to I really wanted to be engaged. But I do want to. Thus, I need you to help me find it."

Emma rubbed her eyes. "You are unbelievable."

"Just help me look. And if we find it, I'll buy you coffee for a whole year, each morning, twice a day if needed."

"I'm holding you to that," Emma said and then waded into the water after the woman.

They searched long and hard, long enough for the sun to rise to the top of the sky before Emma finally sifted through the pebbles on the shore and found something looking like a ring. "Found it!" she exclaimed and Zelena dropped the fish she was trying to cut open to see if it held a ring inside.

She rushed over and clutched it to her chest. "Finally. I found it!"

"Technically I found it-"

Zelena cut Emma off with a hug. "Thank you." she seemed to really mean it.

"Don't forget my coffee," Emma reminded but Zelena was too busy putting on the muddy ring and enjoying it on her finger under the burning midday sun to respond.

Emma definitely needed to hear the story behind Mulan's proposal to Zelena. She was sure it would be worth a few eye rolls and laughs.

* * *

Emma doesn't expect Regina to show up at her apartment unannounced one Sunday morning. It's getting harder for the mayor to disguise her appearance when the weather is becoming warm, and she looks very uncomfortable to be standing outside the door.

"Took you a while," she snapped out when Emma finally let her in.

"Well excuse me," Emma mutters blearily, reading the time and seeing it's six in the morning. What the hell is with the Mills' sisters and them waking her up at ungodly hours? Especially on weekends? "Not all of us get up at the ass crack of dawn. And couldn't this wait until later?"

"No. It couldn't," Regina snaps out. "Do you think Lily suspects us?"

Emma is not ready for that question. "Suspects us? Of what?"

"Of...meeting up," Regina says obliquely.

Emma shakes her head, her curls bouncing. She scratches her stomach where her sleeping shirt has ridden up and moves past Regina to the kitchen where she can make some coffee. "You want some?" Emma asks, and glances over her shoulder to see that Regina couldn't resist at looking at Emma's boy shorts covered ass.

"Yes. I would," the mayor says, eyes still on Emma's ass. It's almost like she wants a piece of Emma instead of the coffee, which probably wouldn't be too far off. _She probably thinks she's being discreet_ Emma chuckles to herself. She finds it adorable.

The coffee pot goes on, and the sounds of brewing coffee fill the kitchen. "So, what do you think?" Regina asks impatiently. She's still waiting on an answer and she crosses her arms over her chest. There is so much Regina doesn't know about Lily's history. So much that Emma feels is private and should not be shared because Emma happens to be a part of that less than stellar past.

"I think we'll be fine. She was probably curious about how a commoner like me knows and calls the mayor a friend."

"We're not friends," Regina grits out and it shouldn't hurt this much to hear it being said.

Emma tries to not let it sting. "Robin seems to think otherwise."

"Robin thinks everyone is a friend because that's the type of person he is. I'm not like that."

"Yea, no shit," Emma chuckles humorlessly. She pours two mugs. "You're like allergic to friends. Sugar?" she asks.

"Just black," Regina responds.

"Like your soul," Emma hums back, and no one would dare to talk to Regina like this to her face, but Regina enjoys it when Emma does it and so she lets her get away with it with only a mildly irritated eye roll. Besides, it's not like it's not true somewhat. Emma gives Regina the mug. The brunette has followed her into the kitchen and is standing closer than she should to Emma. This close and Emma feels her senses roar awake without the help of coffee. Her heart is thumping in her chest and she can smell the mayor's perfume. It wraps around Emma, blanketing her in it and she swallows down longing that lodges in her throat and nearly spills forth from her lips.

Regina sips her coffee in silence and Emma can't help but take in the mayor's appearance. She's not wearing her mayoral clothes for once. She's only wearing a light sweater over some tight jeans. She looks more approachable like this. And her curves are flaunted by the pants on her.

"Checking me out?" Regina asks, arching a brow.

Emma snorts. "Like you weren't doing that to me seconds ago," she retorts.

Regina's cheeks flush and her mouth drops open. "I did not-" she sputters while Emma grins.

"You totally did. And I can tell you, my ass looks ways better without underwear on."

Regina lets out a defeated whine, knowing that she's been caught. It's so nice to be able to fluster the mayor in ways other people can't. "Who knows, maybe my underwear might just, oh I don't know, accidentally slip off?" Emma teases playfully as she hooks her fingers into her underwear and slowly inches them down. Regina's eyes hungrily follow the motion. "Don't tease me," she rasps out as Emma slowly approaches her, and Regina backs up until she is against a counter top, Emma leaving just an inch of space between them while her hands pause on her underwear. They're just low enough, sitting right above her curls.

"Don't tease you?" she says in a low husky voice, tipping her head coyly to the side. She grabs one of Regina's hands and nips with her teeth at the thudding pulse there.

"No," Regina begs. Rasps. Her eyes have grown darker with want and Emma relishes in seeing it there. The mayor has become far gone on her. Comparing it to the first time they met, Regina didn't so much as even want to look at Emma during their aftercare parts of the sessions.

And now, she couldn't stop looking at her. Such heated and heavy gazes. She wonders what has changed for Regina to become like this. Emma is well aware of her own foolish heart beating only a pulse for Regina.

Emma was tempted to lean in and kiss the mayor and see what she would do. But they're not in a session and she doesn't want to ruin the precarious balance they have by pushing. So she steps back and drops Regina's arm so she can pull her underwear up. "Alright. I won't tease then." And smiling like nothing had just happened, she went back to drinking her coffee.

Regina didn't seem to expect this and she glared evilly at Emma for tricking her. "I hate you," she hissed out, hands curling murderously on the mug like it was Emma's neck.

"Someone's cranky when they're horny," Emma sang, enjoying annoying Regina too much. The mayor had admitted to enjoying frustrating Emma, so why couldn't Emma get her own kicks in.

Regina shot Emma another murderous glare but didn't refute Emma's words.


	13. Chapter 13

**Adrenalize Me**

* * *

 _What a wicked game you played to make me feel this way_

 _-Wicked Games_

* * *

 **Swan.** A text message from Lily read. **You wanna hang today?**

It was odd, having Lily back in town as a friend.

Odd to even think of her as a friend. For certainly, they had never been friends, just jumped straight into being bed partners before everything had collapsed around them.

Emma played with the nice watch on her wrist in uncertainty. She knew Lily was buying her compliance in this manner and she didn't know how to feel about it. Certainly, it was nice to get such gifts but it didn't mean Emma was going to comply to her orders.

And she certainly did not feel comfortable enough to hang out with her freely like this. There were some things time could not erase.

So, she sent back a text saying she was busy and left it at that, packing up her gear and going to the gym to get some exercise in. There her thoughts fled her mind as she focused on the burn in her muscles. When she finished she wiped the sweat off of her forehead and went to check her phone for any messages on it. She found one from Ursula, telling her a session had been canceled. That wasn't unusual. Sessions got canceled all the time. But what was unusual was who had done it.

Regina canceled their session this time. And that was how Emma knew that whatever was going on was super serious because Regina would never cancel on Emma. But the question was, what serious matter was going on? She wanted to ask, but honestly, it was none of her business. She was already tangled too deeply in the mayor's affairs and there was no point in exacerbating the issue. So she would coast on by, hoping everything could work out.

She swallowed down the feeling of disappointment at not being able to see Regina but there was nothing she could do about it. She would maintain doing her best at her other sessions while Ursula rescheduled with the mayor.

The month dragged on with Emma hearing radio silence on the mayor's end, and with Lily insistently insisting on meeting up. It was a bit annoying and she could tell her refusal was ticking Lily off but she couldn't really care. She had agreed to be kind to Lily, to try a new friendship with her, but it didn't mean she actually had to go through with it.

So Lily started following her around again, bumping into her in public places.

"Seriously Lily, following me again?" Emma had grunted out in annoyance.

"Well, you're not giving me much of an option," Lily had said, frustration glowing in her eyes.

"Generally when one refuses to meet with someone, that someone is supposed to give them space, not crowd it!"

"I thought we were supposed to be friends," Lily pointed out.

"And what, you expect us to just be buddy buddy in a second? Wounds don't heal that way. I said I'd try being your friend but it doesn't mean I'll jump at every offer you make for us to hang out," Emma explained and Lily's lips twisted up angrily before they relaxed. Whatever emotion she was feeling she had learned to hide well.

"You won't know until you let us hang out," Lily said evenly, smiling up at Emma.

"And why are you so stuck on us hanging out?" Emma grunted out as she began the walk home, groceries in her hands.

"I really need a friend in this town, Emma. And what better person than you?"

"Flattery won't get you anywhere," she responded with but the quip went right over Lily's head.

"I'll make a reservation for us at one of the better restaurants here. Stop being so stubborn and give us a chance."

Emma turned around to snap at Lily for even daring to presume there was an 'us' but the other woman was already walking away, on the phone with the restaurant.

"Ridiculous. And infuriating," Emma grumbled under her breath instead and rushed off.

True to her word, Lily insisted on taking Emma out for dinner at a fancy restaurant. Emma went reluctantly. Maybe if she went this once it would finally get Lily off of her case. Give Emma a chance to breath.

Dinner was an okay affair, if one didn't take into account Lily blatantly flirting with her. Emma in no way flirted back, just ignored the comments and tried too hard not to let them bother her. What the hell was Lily playing at? Did she really think she had a shot at being with Emma again? Emma had no intentions of making that same mistake with her again. Lily was getting frustrated by Emma's cold brush off and when dinner ended, Emma thanked Lily for the meal and hurried to leave but Lily was right after her, grabbing her by the upper arm to talk. "Where are you going?"

Emma shook free of her. "I know you don't only want to be friends with me. But I don't know why else you would be doing all this after we both know how it ended last time. So, what do you want from me?" Emma asked, tired and drained by all this.

"I want you to help spice up my life. My husband's a bit...too vanilla for me," Lily admitted. And the audacity of her to say this. To even suggest such a thing to Emma.

Emma snorted. How rich. "You're coming back crawling to me, after you did me dirty? No, I'm not going to do that. I'm going to stay far away from you, and you're going to leave me the fuck alone," Emma said, jabbing into the air to make her point. Lily did not flinch away from her violent actions. Instead, she only seemed emboldened by them.

"You are mistaken, Emma. When I want something, I get it. And I want you," she hissed between her teeth, making her threat very clear before she span on her heel and stormed off.

Emma's heart beat wildly in her chest. Shit. This could go very wrong. Lily was a politician now. And she had immense power. Power to bring down Emma. And if she dug deep enough, it could bring down Regina as well.

Emma couldn't have that. She couldn't have the NDA with Regina ruined. She needed to tell her what was going on.

Since she didn't have Regina's phone number, out of client consideration, she had no choice but to pull up to Regina's mansion where Robin pulled open the door and smiled that mega watt smile which only made Emma feel sicker with the knowledge of what she had to tell Regina.

"Hey there. You're Regina's friend, Emma. What can I do for you today?" He was wearing his gym sweats and he looked like he'd finished a couple sets of reps. Emma knew it was late, but she was sort of hoping that Regina would still be up.

"I actually need to talk to Regina about something important."

"Oh. Well she's not here."

"Not here?" Emma echoed. Where the hell could she be at this hour? The inexplicable thought that she was with some other Dom gripped Emma with hard jealous fingers and she swallowed heavily to get them loose. But they held onto her, constricting her heart and stomach.

"She's at the office working late on something. She should still be there."

"Right," Emma nodded her head. "Thanks." And she spun on her heel, hurrying to her Bug. The drive over was nerve wracking and she rehearsed all sorts of reactions Regina might have to this. In every scenario, she didn't react well. Which did not bond well for Emma's confidence.

She parked the Bug outside. The mayor's window had a light on, and she ascended the stairs to Regina's office. The secretary was not there and the door was open a crack. "Regina?" Emma questioned as she went in, pushing it open all the way.

She found the mayor's cheek glued to the sheets, pen in hand as the table lamp softly shone on her. Emma was filled with overwhelming affection at the sight, taking in Regina's soft expression. She truly looked peaceful. It was almost a shame to wake her with such bad news. She wanted to delay it, if only by a little bit more.

She circled around Regina's desk until she was right behind her. She whispered into her ear.

"Mayor, the secretary says you should pay her more."

"Not...enough in the budget," was the mumbled reply.

"Mayor, the school district needs better busing routes."

"Get August on the job...he'll make new ones," she sleepily murmured.

Emma bit back a grin. This was just too cute.

"Mayor, I think you think Emma's butt is cute."

"It's very cute." She even gave a little nod of confirmation at this.

Emma couldn't hold back her snort of amusement which blew air right into Regina's ear, waking her up. She sat up so fast, she nearly collided her head with Emma's chin if the blonde hadn't moved fast enough.

"Miss Swan," she gasped out, slapping away the few papers sticking to her face. "What are you doing sneaking about in my office?"

"Is this how the tax payers dollars are going to use?" she arched a brow playfully.

Regina huffed but her face was flushed belying her mortification on getting caught sleeping. "I don't question how the dollars you make are being put to use." But her retort was weak because she was discreetly trying to wipe some drool from the corner of her mouth.

"Insults aside, I actually came here for a reason. A bad reason."

Regina was instantly looking more alert and awake. "Why? What's happened?"

Emma didn't know how to start the whole story. Because it was a whole story and a half on what was happening. She bit her bottom lip before sighing out and leaned against the windowsill behind her while Regina turned her chair to face her.

"Look, I know this is going to piss you off. I already know it will, but I need to tell you this, because it could potentially affect you too."

"Get on with it," Regina snapped impatiently though it looked like she was hiding her worry with anger.

"Back in the day I used to have this client and her name was Lily." Emma could see a spark of recognition on Regina's face at the name but the mayor stayed silent. "We ended up...getting involved outside of work which long story short was a bad idea. She left town to become a politician and I went back to my job, vowing to myself that I would never again do such a thing as dumb as try to have a proper relationship with a client from work. And all was fine and dandy for a couple of years. Except now she's back." Here Emma took a pause, clasping her hands together. "And she wants me back."

"And?" Regina goaded, her jaw beginning to tick.

That couldn't be a good sign.

"I said no. And then she threatened me. Said she wouldn't stop at anything to get to me. And it's not me I'm worried about because I can handle myself. It's you." When Regina didn't say anything to this, Emma felt the silence close in. So she added more. "She might do some digging and discover our arrangement. And I don't want to lead it to trouble for you."

Regina got up at this, raking her hands through her hair and pacing wordlessly in front of her desk. Emma watched, growing more and more worried with each loop. She had never seen Regina this worked up before. This stressed. Usually she was great at hiding such things, only relegating them to tensed shoulders and a need for punishment.

"What are we going to do?" Emma breathed out, needing to know what would happen now.

"You do nothing. I'm going to handle things," Regina determined at last. "Like I always do."

Those ominous words did nothing to lighten Emma's dread. "Like what?"

Regina shook her head. "Do not worry about it. Just stay low for now." And Emma was ushered out of the office. And as she got into her Bug, she realized Regina had been upset, but not upset at Emma like Emma had predicted she would be, just at Lily. She wondered why.

* * *

A week idled by in this manner. Lily tried to call Emma but Emma blocked her number and didn't bother to leave her apartment unless it was for work. And when she did, it was always in a disguise so that no one would recognize her.

She watched the news all week long too, just to see if there were any political scandals breaking out or anything of that sort. She was paranoid. But nothing big happened. Some guy escaped jail, a cat went missing in town, and the school district was making a bake sale. Nothing political at all.

But Emma's worry was leaking every where and her boss had to sit her down one evening to confront her about it. "Emma, you good?" he sucked in a puff of violent colored smoke.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" she scoffed, trying to play it off.

"Something's up. Something's bothering you. It's Lily."

Emma's lips twisted up and she tried to refute this but couldn't. "She's...she wants me to top her again. And I won't. I refuse to. But she refuses to listen to me. She promised to not stop at anything until I was hers."

Ursula looked disgusted. "What a sick woman. We need to tell the cops right away if you're in danger."

"But what can they do? She's a politician. She can just buy them out. No one would believe a sex worker who says the woman's corrupt."

They didn't talk for a while, Emma sitting with her shoulders hunched over, half dressed as she got ready for a session and Ursula in his dress and high wig, letting his cigarette burn between his fingers as he turned something over in his mind.

Through the door the sound of workers was heard as they talked and laughed, getting dressed. What if Lily harmed them? Harmed Emma's friends? She couldn't have that happen.

"I have an idea. But I don't know if you'll like it," Ursula admitted at last. He leaned in to whisper it to her and Emma leaned in to listen to it, eyes going wide as she heard the plan.

* * *

She tossed and turned later that night, uncertain of what to do. What Ursula had offered was risky but could Emma pull it off? _Should_ Emma pull it off? She didn't have much of a choice and if she did it, it would finally get rid of the Lily issue once and for all.

Still undecided she managed to drift off somewhere around the early morning and when she woke up at around 12, she flicked on the TV to have as a background noise while she started making some breakfast ready.

Whipping eggs up, she heard a couple of catchphrase here and there. "An attack...happened last night...the mayor is alright..."

That peaked her interest.

Emma popped her head out of the kitchen and her jaw dropped open when she saw what was going on. The eggs went forgotten as she approached the TV, using the remote to make it louder. "The aggressor, Killian Jones, has been arrested and is in police custody. It's not yet clear how he managed to escape prison last week but sources say he will be going into Federal prison now for making an attempt against the mayor's being."

Emma felt a lump constrict in her throat. Fuck. What had happened? Was Regina okay? Without turning off her TV, Emma grabbed a light jacket and rushed outside, needing to see the mayor and not caring how she got in. Predictably there were police officers guarding the section of the hospital she was in. And when she tried to get closer, they pushed her back. "No visitors allowed," they grumbled out, two giant meat heads blocking her way.

"But I'm her friend," Emma said, out of breath how fast she had driven here. Her heart was racing and she felt like it was going to burst from her chest.

"No visitors," they repeated, louder.

"But-but," Emma floundered, feeling hopeless and useless and like a lost little girl in a store. She couldn't stand it if Regina was hurt because of her. Emma knew that Lily had done this. It was a crazy idea but she somehow knew Lily had caused Killian to escape jail. Why he had agreed to hurt Regina was beyond her. He must be crazy to try and make an attempt.

"It's alright. She can come in." Robin appeared from inside the room. He was wearing a rumpled t-shirt and sweats and he looked like he hadn't slept in a while. The police stepped aside and let Emma pass, though their scrutiny was still on her, warning her that if she did anything wrong she would be punished swiftly.

"Thank you," she told Robin who nodded his head.

"She could use a friend right now. I have to run out and settle some things. But can you watch over her for a bit? Just until I get back?" he asked, so much concern in his eyes that Emma felt sick. He was so caring. And yet here she and Regina were, going behind his back and doing all this. Why couldn't the mayor just let him go? Make the pain less than if he had to find out she was sleeping with a dominatrix.

"Robin, I'll be fine. No one's going to hurt me anymore," came Regina's voice and Emma turned the corner of the very spacious hospital room- perks of being the mayor- and saw Regina propped up on the bed, in silk pjs and flipping through the TV out of boredom. She still looked perfect. Hair styled, light make up on her face and unflappable demeanor. Robin looked worse for the wear. Like he had been the one hurt.

"Hey, Regina," Emma said softly, digging her hands into her back pockets. Robin took this chance to go rush off and handle some last minute affairs. Regina jerked her head in shock, not expecting this new guest. "Emma. What are you doing here?"

"I came to check on you. How are you?"

"I'm fine," Regina said gruffly. "The bastard fired, but he missed me the first time and got my guard. The second bullet only scraped my arm and I should be good to go. I don't see why they need me to stay here."

Emma couldn't even see the bandages but with the way Regina fidgeted her left arm, it made Emma think the wrappings could be there and providing a bit of discomfort. But it was a relief to know that nothing had happened. Nothing worse.

"What even happened?"

Regina shook her head. "I don't know. He came from nowhere. It took me by surprise."

Emma swallowed deeply, but she had to say this. "Regina, I...this might be dumb. But I think him attacking you had something to do with Lily."

The woman didn't laugh at this, just let her head roll back on the propped up pillows. "I wouldn't be surprised. Honestly, she's been doing as much as she can to get me into hot water with my colleagues."

Emma's eyes went wide. "She has?"

Regina nodded her head. She seemed reluctant on what she wanted to say next but did so anyways, with halting speech like each second she considered not saying more. But she did, finishing all she had to impart. "Honestly, and I shouldn't really be telling you this because it doesn't concern you, but she's been trying to sweep my political power away from me. I know she is because she's working with my mother."

Emma knew Lily was a scumbag. But to lower herself to such a point? To use violence against someone else? And then Regina's mother was involved in this too? "Why would your mother work with Lily?"

"Because my mother wants me out of office because I'm not listening to her demands and won't let her use me as a puppet head ruler."

Shit. Talk about fucked up family politics. "Now what? We can't let Lily do that. We can't let her kick you out of office."

Regina sighed. "There's nothing you can do. And this isn't the first time I've fought against one of my mother's schemes. I'll be fine."

"What if next time you won't be?" Emma blurted out. She couldn't help her concern for Regina from spilling over. This relationship that had started out so simple- just sex between the sheets- was growing into something bigger. Unstoppable.

Regina gave a hard look. "I will be."

Emma approached Regina's bed and held onto her hand. Her hold was tight. "I won't let you fight this alone. Lily is my demon and I don't want her hurting you."

Emma was sincere and she stared into Regina's brown orbs to let her know how serious she was. The heart monitor started beeping louder and Emma looked at it, wondering why Regina's heart rate was suddenly sky rocketing. Regina noticed it too, flushed, and jerked her hand away. Nurses came rushing in, thinking the mayor was having heart troubles.

"I'm fine. I'm fine," she grumbled as she was swamped and Emma was kicked out of the room. She walked out of the hospital, hands in the pockets of her blazer. A small smile lit up her lips, thinking on how cute the mayor's reaction to holding her hand had been. It made her believe, that the mayor cared for her even just a sliver.

And then she popped the collar of her blazer up as her smile faded with the weight of what she needed to do to protect the mayor and her NDA. She wouldn't let Lily sink her hooks into yet another woman and bring her down.

* * *

"Alright. I'll do it," Emma announces when Lily comes to meet her in person outside the small town cafe. Emma's been waiting at the table for her, a coffee she hasn't been able to drink because her stomach is nervous and she can't eat anything right now.

Lily's eyes go wide, like she wasn't expecting this. But a pleased smirk takes place there a second later. "And you had to meet me in person to say this?"

"It's better not to leave digital traces. Now, do we have an agreement?" Emma is business like and one hand is fisted under the table, nails biting into his skin to cover her nerves. To stop her from lunging at Lily and punching her in her fucking face.

"Of course."

"What days work for you?"

Lily and Emma work out a schedule and by the time Emma's coffee is cold, they part ways, a planned meeting formulated between the two of them. It's going to be on Saturday, which will give Emma some time to gather the things she needs. She wishes she wouldn't be so nervous but she can't help it. She has no desire to touch Lily. It makes her angry. Makes her want to flinch. To punch her. Regina's recovered just fine but the fact that Lily had the audacity to pull something like this pisses Emma right off.

If Lily's gonna act dirty than so can Emma.

Saturday arrives sooner than Emma thought it could. It's like the days rushed past her despite her wanting time to crawl by in a snail's pace. She supposed it was good this way; it wouldn't give her time to back out of doing this.

She had Lily waiting for her in the dark playroom at Unfortunate Souls. She took time to prep herself, making sure her makeup was proper and that her suit was tight and sexy. She needed it especially now to act as her armor to get her through this.

Sucking in a huge breath, she saw Ursula reflected in the mirror.

"You're going to do great kid," he said and then walked away. Emma took some more steadying breaths and then walked into the room where Lily was waiting for her.

The dark haired woman had unbuttoned the front of her shirt low to reveal the start of her breasts and was sitting in a chair, drink in one hand. Her eyes hungrily raked over Emma. "I like that outfit on you."

"You better," Emma haughtily threw back, losing herself to her dom personality. To her facade that would guide her through this even as her insides clenched in disgust at having to touch Lily intimately.

"I always appreciate you mistress," Lily promised.

"Good. Because I have other pets I can easily play with." She picked up a crop, smacked it hard against her hand. The snapping sound made Lily's eyes sparkle with excitement. Emma leaned in, almost nose to nose with Lily. "We're going to play a game, pet."

"What kind of game," Lily licked her lips in excitement.

"Tell me all the naughty things you've done. And I'll punish you or reward you accordingly for them."

Lily arched a brow. "That's an interesting game."

Emma jerked her chin up harshly with her gloved hand. At least she had put gloves on so she wouldn't have to directly touch her. "You don't get to choose what we do. If you complain, I will not touch you at all. Am I clear?"

"Yes."

Emma slapped Lily hard. The smack was satisfying and she had to hold back from hitting her again so that she wouldn't give anything away. "I think you forgot how to respect me."

"I'm sorry mistress," Lily said, licking back some blood from her split lip. Emma jerked her head to face her, grabbing her by the back of her head painfully. "That's better. Now, tell me what I want to know. And make it good or all this," she indicated to her body, encased in tight sinful black leather, "isn't yours."

Lily nodded her head obediently. "I sometimes prank call people just to piss them off."

That wasn't good enough. Emma slapped Lily again. "You're not taking me seriously." She squished the older woman's cheeks together. "Give me something dirty. Something so filthy that it'll make me want to punish you."

Lily seemed to contemplate this. "I'm sabotaging the mayor."

Yes. That was more like it.

Not good that the mayor was under attack, but good that this information was out.

"That's better," Emma purred. "Now get up, grip the back of the chair hard, and roll down your trousers."

Lily didn't have to be told twice. She did this quickly and Emma delivered a swift slap to her buttocks. Lily yelped with the pain but she was smiling through it. She loved this.

"What else?" Emma goaded, pacing behind Lily.

"I've been turning her colleagues against her by bribing them or spreading rumors and false evidence. This will make it hard for her to get any support on bills."

Two smacks for this.

"I've been digging into her past. And I found Killian. She had the man arrested and I wondered why. I talked to him and he told me the truth. About him, and you. And about how why he was locked up was because he'd gotten too close to you and the mayor didn't like her favorite toy getting taken."

Three slaps for this. Did Lily believe him?

"And? Did you think what he said true?" Emma put enough derision into her words that it would make Lily feel foolish for saying she did believe him.

"No. Of course not. He was crazy. But I told him if he would off the mayor I could get you for him. Not that I ever would," Lily scoffed and received another smack.

"There is no way a tight ass like Regina would ever come here," Emma commented. "If she did it would only be to shut us down."

"I know," Lily panted. She was getting worked up. Emma span her around, eyes dark on her face. She was boiling with fury and she had to be careful not to push Lily too hard during their session just because of it. "Get by the wall on your knees. I'm going to hang you up by your wrists and flog you sore. You've been a naughty girl indeed."

Lily hurriedly did as asked and Emma followed after her.

* * *

The session was over and Emma was exhausted. She had gotten all she needed out of Lily, but, would the evidence be there?

Emma took her wig off, tossing it on the counter. "So," she turned to Ursula whose face belied nothing. "Did we get everything?"

"We might need to edit some things, but yes, we got it all on tape." He held the hidden camera and wire that had been in the room. It was a violation of their privacy clause to film a customer. But in this case, it was needed.

Emma smiled widely. They had all the proof of Lily's misdeeds on tape. Now, it was just a matter of releasing it to the public.

* * *

The days after the aftermath of Lily's scandal were chaotic. A whirlwind of malice. Emma was having journalists knocking on her door, asking her for her side of the story. Judges and police officers too asked for her input and it was all disorienting. She just wanted it to stop. She didn't know it would blow up to be this big when she had first done this. All she had wanted was to get Lily away from her, away from Regina, and out of this damned town.

And it worked, in a way. Lily lost her job and was facing serious charges for all the manipulation she had done in the political offices. Regina's mother, to cover her ass, had dropped all connections with Lily, leaving her floundering. Not only that, but Lily was linked to freeing Killian Jones from prison in order to get him to kill Regina.

He had admitted to it in order to get a reduced sentence.

Everything was just piling up against Lily and will all this digging into her past, other things, other unsavory things were coming up, like doctored SAT scores, fraudulence at her past jobs and more. Emma was happy to see Lily get her due and even happier she could be the one to cause it.

And Lily looked so betrayed and heartbroken by this. When she had come face to face with Emma, she didn't spit venom like expected. She only looked like a lost child, afraid of the world around her.

"Why? Why did you do it?"

"Because I had no choice. I told you many times I did not want you in my life and you kept pushing. So I pushed back. This has nothing to do with clearing the mayor's name." Because even now Emma can't afford Lily to make the connection between her and Regina. "But it was the easiest way to trap you."

And Emma doesn't allow herself to feel bad for doing this. It's the least Lily deserves for the fucked up shit she's done. This isn't even about Lily leaving her all those years ago. It's not. It's about protecting Regina.

But throughout all this Emma had no way of contacting Regina. The mayor was swamped by press and by questions about this 'sting' operation that she needed to field and it was taking a toll on her. Robin stood by her side the whole time, supporting her, and Emma decided she would simply wait on the mayor to get back to her on this instead of trying to contact her and make things worse. She just couldn't wait to see Regina smile in relief at all Emma had done for her.

But, she hadn't expected the mayor to react so harshly to all the help Emma had given her.

Tiredly, Emma dropped her keys into the bowl by her door as she came back from yet another press conference. She had just closed it behind her when Regina popped out, scaring her.

"Don't do that," Emma huffed out, holding her beating heart. But Regina was storming past that. She had a mean expression on her face. Emma felt dread settle into her stomach.

"Why the fuck did you do that?" Regina hissed out, jaw twitching as she tried and failed to contain her fury.

"Do what? Expose Lily? Save your ass?" Emma pointed out, drawing herself up. She didn't like this. Why the hell was Regina pissed off at her?

"I told you I would handle it on my own. But you didn't fucken listen to me and now I have big problems thanks to you!" she exclaimed.

"Yea, you would have just waited around until you got hurt again, knowing you," Emma spat out.

"I wouldn't have. This isn't my first political circus. I know how to get rid of people who try to bring me down. But now what you pulled has the office questioning my connection to you. You could expose our whole relationship to the world!" Regina cried out, breathing hard.

Emma wasn't going to let her help go unappreciated. "Oh boo fucking hoo. So the world might have some questions about our relationship. But what about me? I kept my sex worker job as a secret from everyone. My friends. And my family. And I threw that all away so I could help you. They all fucking know what I do now. You don't know how it feels to walk around town and be judged for my job!"

"No one told you to do that."

"Well fuck you too! I was only trying to do something good for you. Like a friend would. But now I can see why you don't have any friends. Because you are an ungrateful bitch. Maybe I should have let Lily ruin your career. Too bad I cared," Emma cried out, feeling tears prick in the back of her eyes. No. She wouldn't cry. Not in front of the mayor who looked at her with still no understanding in her eyes.

"Emma-"

"No, get the fuck out of my house. Get OUT!" she screamed and Regina looked taken aback by this, by the wild jerking motions of Emma as she pointed at the door.

Regina swallowed nervously, realizing she had crossed a line in their uncertain relationship. "Emma," she tried more delicately but Emma wasn't having any of that.

"Get out," she repeated, this time in a tired voice. "Please."

Regina nodded her head and stepped out, closing the door softly behind her without looking back at Emma.

Emma stood in the empty apartment, feeling defeated and alone.


	14. Chapter 14

**Adrenalize Me**

* * *

 _Kiss me hard before you go_  
 _Summertime sadness_  
 _I just wanted you to know_  
 _That baby, you the best_

 _-Summer Time Sadness, Lana Del Rey_

* * *

 **A/N: Some slight suspension of disbelief is needed for this chapter.**

"Swan," Neal hummed running his tongue across his teeth. He was trying the name out. Testing it against some standard in his mind. He shook his head, giving up. "I don't get it. Why use your real last name as your worker name?"

After the aftermath of the Lily showdown, Emma was faced with the uncomfortable task of explaining away why she worked in that position to her friends and faux family.

Belle had feigned shock, pretending she didn't already know this. Neal, had been truly shocked but he was understanding. Which wasn't something Emma could say about most of her other non-sex worker friends. They looked on at her with judgment. Like she was worth less for doing this.

They could fuck off for all she cared.

Judgmental assholes.

Emma shrugged, trying to answer Neal. "I dunno. I wasn't really creative when I picked it. And then I got too used to it to change it. And it fits me. I'm graceful like a Swan. And pretty like one too."

"Except you're more like a Dark Swan," Neal said as he took a sip of his stout beer. "Cuz you wear black spandex and leather. And you punish those who are bad."

She rolled her eyes. "It's not like that. I'm not a superhero."

"No one said you were a superhero. That's a supervillain name." He began to pantomime action. "And Dark Swan would use her whip to trip up heroes and have cuffs to tie them up while she gags them."

"Neal, knock it off," Belle chastised from where she sat on the carpet, legs tucked under her and so dainty looking as she sipped her beer. Emma was spread out on the couch, guzzling her drink and trying to drown out her sorrows. It wasn't working so far.

The fight she had with Regina left a bitter taste in her mouth. More bitter than any beer.

How could the mayor get upset about all that? Emma had been saving her ass. Had put her own reputation and job on the line and the least Regina could do was thank her.

"It's alright Belle," Emma sighed out as Neal shifted guilty on the couch next to Emma. "I don't mind. At least someone's talking to me."

"The rest of them are shallow assholes," Neal said, a dark look on his face. "I should beat them up-"

"It's okay," Emma placed a hand on his knee to calm him down. "I appreciate the sentiment but I'm a grown woman now. I don't care if someone doesn't want to be my friend anymore. I just move on."

She sounded more detached than she felt, when in reality she was hurt by them so swiftly rejecting her. But she guessed at least now she saw who her real friends were.

The rest of the night Emma, Neal, and Belle spent talking about other things, like new shows and some concerts they wanted to attend. They made Emma feel better about this whole situation.

* * *

"What did you do?" Zelena accused as soon as Emma picked up her phone the following evening. Emma was at the grocery store right now, doing some last minute shopping. She had run out of protein shakes for the gym. A couple of people pointed at her. They recognized her from the news. She ducked into another aisle to avoid them.

"What are you talking about?"

"Sister dearest of mine is in quite a tizzy."

"A what now?" Emma's brow furrowed at the unusual terminology.

"She's upset."

"Okay, and what does that have to do with me?" she shrugged even if Zelena couldn't see this.

"Because the thing you did, is all over the news."

"You're late then. It's been on the TV for weeks now."

"I don't like to watch the telly. It rots the brain. And I have more important things to do."

"Don't tell me you're going to blame me for doing my whole sting operation. I don't need shit from you about it too," Emma said harshly. She grabbed the nearest protein shake formula and checked it out, paying for it at self checkout while she held the phone in between her chin and shoulder.

"Regina wasn't happy about it?"

"No."

"But it was such a romantic thing for you to do. To expose yourself like that," Zelena cried out dramatically, with a wistful sigh, and Emma rolled her eyes.

"It wasn't romantic. I was only doing it so Lily could fuck off. She did some messed up things and I didn't need her back in my life, fucking it up."

"Well then, maybe Regina's upset that you _didn't_ do it for her?"

"She knows I did it to help her out, too. Because Lily was trying to take her down from her mayoral position."

"Ah, Cora," Zelena said, with a sound of enlightenment.

"No, Lily." Emma bagged her goods and left. It was muggy outside and her shirt stuck to her in the ten minutes it took to go to her house. Even though it had been almost a month since it all went down with the Lily case, people still talked about it. She guessed it was because it was such a big scandal for their otherwise small and boring town.

She really couldn't wait for people to stop bothering her. Or for some big news event to wash over so they could forget about her and move onto someone else.

"No, Cora is our mother. She must have done all this. She picked Lily because she knew she would be able to be unscrupulous enough to do what was needed. Which was to take down Regina. Since mother's in the hospital and can't do it herself, she's got someone else doing her dirty work for her."

"What a bitch," Emma spat out. How could a mother do that to her own daughter?

"Hmm, well she's our mum. Can't change blood," Zelena said matter of factly. "That explains why Regina's so upset. She wouldn't tell me anything. But I feel like something happened between you and Regina that you aren't telling me."

"There's not much to tell. I took down Lily to help me and Regina out, and Regina didn't like how I handled it."

"She's probably upset that she's now associated with knowing and working with a reputable sex worker. It could ruin her reputation if she ever decides to run for the mayoral position once more."

"Seriously," Emma said as she felt anger curl in her belly like a hungry snake. She banged her apartment door open. "You're chastising me for this too?"

"Emma, relax. I'm on both of your sides. I think you could have handled things better, or let Regina do things her way, and I think she needs to stop overreacting. She has a good PR team. They'll make it all look like this was calculated and planned and not some last minute mess."

Emma scoffed. "I can't believe you. I don't need anymore flack."

"And I told you, I'm on _both_ sides," Zelena stressed, also sounding annoyed now. "And I think the two of you need to talk this out. Because it's important now more than ever to have a united front against this all."

Emma pinched her nose. Zelena was being sensible for once. "Since when do you give advice?"

"Since the both of you are acting like children. Honestly, how much more effort do I need to make in getting the two of you together?"

"Then maybe you should stop," Emma hissed out. "I can't be with Regina. She's a political figure."

"You can't or you won't?" Zelena asked and Emma could hear the red haired woman arching a brow through the phone.

"What it that even supposed to mean?"

"It means, stop being a little bitch. You think Regina shouldn't be with you because of your job and her job, but you ever think that maybe it doesn't fucking matter and all that matters is the two of you being happy?"

"She doesn't love me," Emma says flatly.

Silence for once from Zelena until she sighs out, tired. "Whatever, Swan." And then she hangs up.

And Emma can't help feeling like Zelena is disappointed in her.

* * *

Summer's almost here and it means more work for the girls at Ursula's club. Apparently nothing goes better than summer and kinky sex because Emma finds herself booked and working hard each evening. But her spirit isn't into her work. Her mind and body just go through the motions and she doesn't feel that usual spark as she normally does.

"Take a break," Ursula says as Emma is coming out of the locker room one night, duffel bag by her side.

"I don't need one. I'm fine," she says gruffly, not meeting her boss's eyes.

"I'm not asking you. I'm telling you. You're taking a damned break." He hands her a leave slip. "Two weeks. Do whatever the fuck you want during those two weeks. Have a sex marathon for all I care. But you better not fucking work." And he leaves her, jaw gaping open at the unexpected action.

Without work, what will she use to keep her mind off of things? Off of Regina, more specifically. The fight still stings and it's taking Emma a long time to get over it. Longer than she would like. And it's because she went out on a limb, put so much of herself out there, only for it to back fire and hurt her.

Maybe she should take a break. Her relationship with her client has transgressed to something more and she doesn't need another Lily situation on her hands. She recalls she still has two session with Regina left and she doesn't know what she'll do with herself when they're over.

As she's leaving, a man comes out of one of the rooms, walking funny as he holds onto his sore ass. She recognizes the back of his head and her eyes bulge in shock. "Neal?"

He startles and turns around. "Emma. Hey."

He says this casually, like he hasn't just been caught walking out of one of their playrooms.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, after I found out about one of your jobs, I got curious and came down to see what it's really like. To educate myself. And let me tell you, I respect how brolic you women are." He grimaced in pain as his sore ass throbbed. "But, I don't think BDSM is for me."

She laughed because of course, Neal being the good and supportive friend he is, went out of his way to go into Emma's world.

"I really feel for the person dating you."

"I don't do BDSM on my romantic partners," Emma explained. "I like doing it, but I don't need it to be in a happy relationship. Only if my partner wants it will I do it with them. Besides, I think of BDSM sort of more as work than just a strictly pleasure thing, even if it does give me pleasure to smack some smart asses around."

"Take me for a drink, will you? I need something to forget my sore ass," he said and she laughed once more. "You're such a big baby."

He fake pouted at this.

"Who did you have anyways?"

"A girl named Red."

Emma's smile dropped a bit at that. Well, this was going to be awkward. Ruby had now officially dominated both of Emma's close friends: Belle and Neal.

"What's wrong?" Neal noted her smile.

She shook her head. "Nothing. Just thinking on if they serve baby sized drinks because you're such a baby!"

"Hey, she hits hard!" he protested as Emma slung an arm over his shoulder and they headed out in the nearest direction of the bar. Day one of her vacation: time to get shit faced!

* * *

Emma knows she's not in her room because the sheets are too soft and there's too many pillows. And it smells like green apples. She sits up and notices the familiar wall paper and the green in the closet.

"Oh shit," she murmurs out through a dry mouth. Her head pounds as she sits up. "Zelena," she calls out, loud in the early afternoon quiet of the house. "Did we sleep together again?"

The door opens up. It's Zelena carrying a water bottle for Emma. "Don't be absurd. I'm with Mulan."

"Then why am I here?" she asks before sucking down half the bottle in one gulp. She burps gratefully at Zelena who only arches up a brow.

"You don't remember?"

"No?"

Zelena sighs. "You're drunken arse called me and asked me to pick you up."

"That doesn't sound like me. I would have been able to go home on my own."

"Except you wanted me to take you to Regina so you could apologize to her and, I quote, 'kiss all the boo-boo's away in your relationship which was strictly professional' and you stressed the professional part quite a bit."

Emma felt her cheeks flare up. Why was she such a drunken mess?

"You're clearly in love with my sister. I don't see why you can't just-"

"Because I can't. I can't just be like you, say screw the rules, and have everything come out awesome. There's too much at stake between us."

Zelena mulled over in silence as Emma finished off the rest of her water. "Then at least bloody talk out your issues with her before the two of you explode."

"Not like this," Emma shook her head stubbornly. She felt a mess. There was no way she would be brave enough to talk to Regina now. "Where's Neal?"

"Oh, boy toy wonder?" Zelena jerked downstairs. "In the kitchen. Eating all the good food. Get him out of here before he eats up all our food."

Emma clambers out of bed, still in her clothes from last night and finds Neal downstairs, eating like he doesn't have a hangover.

"You ready to head out?"

"I didn't know you were friends with the mayor and her sister!" his eyes are wide in wonder and appreciation.

"It kinda happened cuz of the case. But we're _not_ friends," she stressed and they both left the house, Neal snagging a banana on the way out.

* * *

Emma looks at her notice of two week vacation and decides maybe she should leave town. Just for a bit. Just to get away from all the craziness her life has become. Maybe she'll get a vacation house on the beach? Or go to the mountains? Do some skiing.

She lazily googles some things up but can't find anything interesting. Her phone rings and she picks it up, instinctively knowing it's Zelena.

"Regina's at the house now, if you want to talk to her."

Zelena had taken to 'helpfully' updating Emma on whenever her sister was around so that Emma could go and talk to her. Emma did not like being pushed into conversation and so she declined each time.

"She's probably busy with wrapping up the ends of the ongoing trials with Lily. I don't want to bother her."

"Emma," Zelena sighed out.

"Besides, I'm going on vacation," Emma adds on, hoping this will stop Zelena from calling her for a good two weeks.

This does not discourage Zelena at all. "Where?"

"I haven't decided yet. But somewhere nice. Somewhere far."

"That's perfect. You should come with me and Mulan then. We're actually going somewhere for a pre-marital honeymoon."

"You can only go on honeymoons after you're married, and gross. I don't want to be some third wheel."

"You wouldn't be a third wheel if you had Regina."

Emma rolls her eyes at this. Why is Zelena so aggressively pushing towards this all of a sudden? Emma thought Zelena had given up months ago on Emma's behest.

"Where are you heading?"

"To Aruba. It's nice. We're going Thursday and coming back Monday."

That gives Emma two days to pack if she wants to come.

"Tickets on me. I got a special offer so they don't cost that much."

Hm, it's tempting. And Emma has always wanted to go to Aruba.

Ah, heck. Why the fuck not do something spontaneous? "Alright. But keep the kissing to a minimum."

"It's not the kissing you should be worried about," Zelena says and Emma makes a gagging noise. Zelena hangs up with a promise to email Emma the tickets.

Emma should have suspected this exchange all went too smoothly. But she doesn't.

* * *

She's in the airport, dressed in booty shorts, a crop top, and tugging her carry on behind her, looking for Zelena and Mulan by the gate where the plane is supposed to depart. Except when she gets there, she finds Regina and Robin of all people standing there.

"Oh, hi," she blinks in shock and Regina does too. Only Robin really speaks. "Hi Emma. Zelena mentioned she'd have a friend come along."

"A friend. Uh, right, that's me." Emma's mouth feels dry and her eyes try hard not to look at Regina. But it's hard not to when she sees the woman in shorts and a t-shirt for the first time. Also, she's mad at her still.

"Where are you guys going?" she asks.

"Aruba," Robin answers, smiling that beaming all white grin.

Things click inside Emma's head and just at that moment she gets a text from Zelena. _Mulan and I already went on a trip not too long ago to celebrate our engagement. Must have slipped my mind. But enjoy your trip with Robin and Regina._

No wonder it was so quiet in town that week, is Emma's first thought as the rest of the information slowly sinks in. She's going to kill Zelena. Kill her dead. Her grip goes tight on the phone, knuckles turning white.

The woman set her up. Up on a trip with Regina and Robin.

They too get pings on their phones and answer. "Looks like Zelena ad Mulan won't be able to make it. Something came up last minute," Regina hums and she too pieces something together, because her eyes flicker up to Emma.

Their eyes meet in a grim look of suffering that can only come with knowing Zelena. But, for better or for worse, they're stuck taking the plane together and spending a whole vacation by the beach. Not to mention, Regina's going to be barely clothed. How is Emma going to survive that?

Zelena may have tricked them this far, but Emma doesn't have to spend any time by Regina's side if she doesn't want to. She's going to avoid her on the whole trip.

Grumpily she awaits the plane's arrival.

* * *

The hotel is beautiful, which helps take Emma's edge off a bit. The whole plane ride she had sat in between Regina and Robin because that was where their seats were. Robin chatted her ear off the whole flight- so much so that she had to pretend to be asleep to get him to stop- and Regina was so frosty next to her that Emma felt cold on one side of her body.

Emma's got a pretty big room and a spacious bed, all to herself. She goes inside and throws open the balcony doors so she can get a good look at the view outside. The sky is baby blue, not a single cloud in the sky. Many floors below there is a swimming pool in which the people floating in it look like ants.

Robin and Regina have the room next to Emma and she really doesn't want to hear any noises coming from their room. She doesn't think she could stomach it.

She knows their getting settled in right now and so she thinks she's going to just make the most of the situation she has been forced into. She hastily pulls out her swimsuit, slathers on some sun screen and has every intention of spending the whole day at the pool.

She finds a free bench and lays the towel out there. Slides on some shades, accepts a drink from a server boy there, slathers on sun screen, and settles back to relax.

She's not more than twenty minutes in when who should pop into her vision but Robin. "Hey there, Emma. Hope you don't mind us sitting by you."

Emma does in fact mind and keeps her vision away from Regina who is standing somewhere next to Robin. He's wearing briefs and Emma doesn't really want to look at him too much either. She squeezes her eyes shut and nods her head. "Sure. I won't be out here long anyways."

"I'll be in the water." It's an invitation for her to join but she had no intention too. As soon as it wouldn't be too rude to leave, she was going. Seeing that Emma isn't taking up his offer, Robin turns to leave. "You ladies enjoy your tanning."

He goes and Emma is acutely aware of eyes on her. Regina no doubt is staring at her. Emma makes sure to take good care of her body and she's lean and her stomach is defined. It's more skin than Regina has ever seen on her before, even in their sessions.

Where normally it would be flattering, now it's irritating. "You know it's rude to stare," Emma says as she can feel the red hot gaze on her.

"I'm not staring!" Regina sputters and Emma had been half expecting Regina to not say anything at all.

Emma lifts up her sunglasses and gives her the side eye, catching Regina in a red swimsuit cover, and sunhat and cheeks flushed red out of anger or embarrassment.

"You were. And you were not subtle at it at all," Emma said informatively and with a bit of bite in her voice as she got up, collecting her things. Predictably Regina's eyes followed her and the mayor seemed to catch herself. She opened her mouth maybe to explain herself but couldn't seem to, so she gave up on it, sticking her tongue into her cheek in an expression of giving up as she shook her head in disappointment of herself.

Emma strutted past her and felt more eyes on her. "Seriously?" she asked as she left and with a sigh from Regina, the mayor got up and decided she needed a dunk in the pool. She slipped her swimsuit cover off and dropped in with a loud splash.

Emma finds way to go to the beach which is not far from the hotel on foot and decides to just stay there for the rest of the day instead.

* * *

Emma's sitting on the shore, close enough that the water laps at her toes but far enough that it won't wet anything else. It's peaceful out here, listening to the roar of the waves, the shrieks of the gulls, and in watching the sea turn a blood red color as the sun dips below the horizon for a nap.

She's joined by someone else. Someone else who has finally hunted her down and found her.

They sit down a good two feet away from Emma and adopt the same pose: knees up to the chin, arms wrapped around.

"What do you want, Regina?" Emma asks tiredly because she can sense the need to talk brimming off of the other woman.

"I wanted to apologize," is what comes out of her mouth and it stuns Emma. She never thought the mayor had it in her to think of such a thing. She thought the woman had too much pride.

Emma shakes her head, however. She doesn't want Regina to apologize for what she's going to apologize for. Instead, she wants an apology for something else. "Don't say you're sorry for how the situation went down," Emma dissuades. "I realized I was a bit headstrong and did things my way without thinking through the ramifications of my actions. I put you in a tough spot with the media."

Regina's not expecting this. "So, what, you're not angry at me anymore?"

"Oh, I still am. You were a dick to me about the whole situation."

"Then I'm sorry for being a dick to you," Regina says and Emma turns to look at her for the first time since they've gotten to Aruba. The breeze from the water is gently tousling Regina's hair. It's gotten even longer since they've first met. It sweeps along her collarbones now. "Apology accepted."

A smile wants to creep it's way onto Regina's lips for being forgiven but she turns her face to the sea so that Emma won't see this. "And I think we both need to find a way to get back at Zelena for doing all this. She really is too much."

Emma nods her head in agreement. She doesn't appreciate being forced into these situations with Regina against her will. "And this time, let's both plan it together and not keep the details of it a secret from each other."

"I wanted to keep you out of my plans against Lily. I didn't want you to have to deal with her anymore than you already did," Regina commented, stretching out her legs. They're already tanner than they were when they first got to this island.

"I appreciate that, but I don't need it. I'm a grown girl."

"That you are indeed," Regina murmurs as her eyes quickly rake over Emma's legs and chest. Emma arches a brow and clears her throat. The mayor really isn't subtle at all when checking out Emma. Regina frowns at being caught but says nothing more.

The two of them sit side by side in amicable silence, watching as the sun completely sets and the moon rises up. Emma can't help thinking of this as sort of a date between her and the mayor even as she knows how impossible all this is. Even the few inches of sand stretching between them is far too much.

Zelena can say what she'll say, can try to get them together. But neither Emma or Regina are in a position to pursue something more. And it's best to leave things like they are, before Emma creates another Lily situation.


	15. Chapter 15

**Adrenalize Me**

* * *

 _Apparently I have fallen in love with you But this could just be a game Don't be afraid to be rough, seizing by the hand I really need a dose of you I want, want [it] so much I want to be with you all night Cover me with kisses_

 _-Grivina, Ya Hocha-_

* * *

"Swan, so how did you like my little surprise?" Zelena's delighted English tones fill the waves of the phone call as Emma picks up on first ring. She had been drowsy a moment ago, ready to fall asleep in bed on her first day of being in Aruba, and after being out all day on the beach, but now she was fully awake.

Thrumming, with anger. She sits up. "Zelena I am going to fucken murder you."

"Not quite the thanks I was expecting," Zelena said dryly, not at all fazed.

"What right do you think you have-"

"Did she apologize?" Zelena cut in breezily.

Emma blinked harshly at having her rant cut off. "Who?"

"Regina. Did she apologize?"

"She did."

"Then you're welcome. You guys are finally on better terms, thanks to me," Zelena said. "Now calm down and try to enjoy the rest of your vacation."

"And how am I supposed to do that with Robin around? Or with Regina?" Emma said, her anger still in her, unsatisfied from being unable to give Zelena the tongue lashing she deserved.

"Honestly, you're so dramatic. I don't know what Regina sees in you," she commented, her voice the equivalent of a shrug. "Just act normal. Pretend like you're all friends. I think that you have this mentality on you that just because you are working class and Regina and Robin are not, that it would be impossible for you all to respect each other and get along. Really, Emma. Stop thinking that way and life will be so much easier."

Now that set a lump in Emma's throat as she realized in fact Zelena was right. Impossibly right. "I really hate it when you give good advice. I preferred the crazy you," she said flatly, and trying to come off as unimpressed even though she was very impressed.

"Crazy me is still here. She's just more tamed now thanks to Mulan satisfying her wild side in bed."

Emma wrinkled up her nose. "Eww, still don't want any details on your sex life."

"You sure?" And Emma could imagine Zelena batting her eyes here, trying to tempt her into her.

"I'm sure." Said with finality.

"Ta ta then," Zelena said.

"No, wait, Zelena I'm still mad at you-" Emma pulled the phone away from ear because Zelena had hung up on her. "Damn it." Guess she would yell at her another time, because despite Zelena's good intentions, she had still forced Emma to go on a trip, to be in a situation she did not want.

Grumpily, she got into bed and tried to fall asleep.

* * *

It would have been flattering how insistent Robin was on inviting Emma out to every activity he and Regina had planned, if it wasn't so irritating.

She really did not want to insert her life anymore than needed into the mayor's and his begging for her to join them, was not helping. On some occasions he flat out rejected her rejections and dragged her with them anyways. He had allowed her to say no to breakfast, kayaking, suntanning, and lunch together for their second day in Aruba, but he would accept her vague and flimsy excuses no more.

That was why she was on a yacht now, enjoying a private cruise with them. Or trying to enjoy it. She can't, not really, when Robin's arm is around Regina's waist like a chain, pulling her away from Emma. Anchoring the mayor in a relationship she reportedly doesn't want, but is doing nothing about changing. If Regina's gay like Zelena claims, than why hide? Is it a political thing? Is she worried that they wouldn't vote her in as mayor if she didn't have male eye candy on her arm?

But if that's the case, then why keep Robin around now that her position has been secured? Will this always be the way it is? With Regina in a false relationship, while Emma sits and pines for her from the distance as they try to keep their relationship secret?

Emma doesn't know how much longer she can do this. She's getting greedier and greedier for the mayor. For her time. And for her affections. And not being able to have them or her, is taking a terrible toll on her. It's more draining than her secret relationship with Lily had been.

And Emma can't help but wonder if Regina is strained too, given how her sex for hire is right here. Is within a hand's reach and yet she can't have her.

Emma can't help but notice that every time Robin leans in to kiss Regina or touches her in a way reserved for couples that Regina sneaks a look at Emma, longing and pain on the mayor's face.

Such emotion slipping through the mayor's mask makes Emma's insides clench and she can barely breathe. Just what the hell is their relationship anymore? Just what the hell is going on between them? The boundaries have faded, have been shattered despite them trying to maintain them and now both of them are free falling into uncertainty, into new territory.

All this thinking and contemplating is making Emma's head hurt, so while Robin is crooning pretty words into Regina's ear, hands slinking down to her barely clad hips now, Emma takes off her shirt and shorts so she's in her bathing suit and jumps into the crystal clear waters, needing to cool down. Needing a moment to herself.

The two of them on the boat don't notice, or maybe they do, but they don't say anything. And by the time they bring the yacht back, Emma is hungry and grumpy and envious of Robin's open affections towards Regina. It's not his fault. He's a nice guy. And he's only doing what any person would in a loving relationship. But still, it grates on Emma's nerves because he's basically rubbing it in that this is something Emma can't have with Regina.

And she won't dare to ask Regina to give up this world for her. Emma's world is no place for her. And she's never had anyone sacrifice anything big for her before so why would it change now?

She's forced to get a late dinner with them, feeling like an awkward third wheel as she plays with her food. Regina has ordered a salad and Robin is on his third margarita of the day. It makes him incredibly loving, mushing his lips to Regina's cheek, while also making him talkative.

"Emma, you know, I don't know a lot about you. Regina never talks about you really, and Zelena only laughs at me when I ask her about her outings with you."

"I'm not the gossiping sort," Regina replies with, miffed.

Emma squirms uncomfortably under his questioning. "Yea, I don't like to really put myself out there a lot. All I do is work, really."

"You're as hard working as Gina," he says happily, kissing Regina on the back of her hand. "Do you have a significant other?" he asks out of the blue.

"Well, um, I used to," Emma clears her throat as a lump stands there. "But it ended badly and I'm just taking it slow right now."

"Robin, don't press her," Regina chastises but he doesn't take her advice. "I just want to get to know her better. If she's your friend, I want her to be my friend too."

Emma winces. Damn it, why does he have to be so nice? For his sake, Emma hopes he never really finds out exactly what Regina is doing. Otherwise he'll be broken.

"Robin," Regina sighs, shaking her head in quiet disappointment. "I think you've had too much to drink."

He frowns. "But I'm on vacation. And I have not. I only had like one drink for dinner."

"I'll get him some water," Emma rushes to her feet, grateful for Regina trying to divert attention off of her. This is a silly thing to say though, because they have waiters for this reason but Emma can't stand to see Robin being so doting. If she sees his prickly chin brushing against Regina's smooth one, one more time, she'll die of awkwardness and jealousy.

Before Robin can protest, Emma is up and walking indoors. But as she moves, a splotch of red catches her attention. She narrows her eyes. Hm. Something tells her to follow the red hair she's sighted into the restaurant.

She pushes past some people and trails the person. They're tall and they're wearing a green bucket hat along with other variations of green- like a chiffon shirt and some shorts. Their pace picks up and they hurry into the bathroom, Emma going in after them. She's got them cornered now. Or so she thinks as she opens the swinging door only to have a fist swing at her.

"Whoa, the fuck!" she ducks just in time.

"Emma, it was you following me?" Zelena gasps, pushing up the dark shades that have slid down her nose.

"Zelena?" Emma sputters, in shock. "What the fuck are you doing here? I thought you weren't going on this trip?"

"I may or may not have lied. Besides, when you found out about being stuck with Regina and Robin because of me, I didn't want to be on the same plane as you in case you murdered me."

"And what says I won't right now?" Emma starts angrily. "You know, I know you have a tendency to do really outlandish things without considering others, but this just tops it. You have no right to meddle in my life or Regina's! It's manipulative!"

Zelena raises her hands to placate Emma. "I only wanted the two of you to be on the same foot. To apologize."

"And we would have. We didn't need to be forced into this situation!" Emma's voice does not go down and one woman in the bathroom eyes them warily before washing her hands quickly and leaving.

"Yea," Zelena snorts sarcastically. "Except it would have taken you millennia to do that."

"I really don't need this. And this is the last time I will say this: stay out of my life!" Emma screams, the yells ricocheting off of the tiles.

Zelena crosses her arms, angry for once. Angry for the first time since Emma has met her. Angry for the first time _at_ her. "Fine," she says steely. "I won't spy on you anymore. I won't help you anymore. And months down the road when you are heart broken and feeling stupid, don't come crying to me, because I tried to help and you wouldn't let me."

"You were spying on me?" Emma exclaims, pissed off. She had a feeling Zelena was maybe watching their dinner interactions. And how dare the woman invade her privacy like that!

"Is everything okay in here?" another voice interrupts them and Emma swivels on her heel to see Mulan there, in the most relaxed outfit that Emma has ever seen the woman wear. Emma raises her hands in exasperation. "You even got Mulan involved?!" she accuses Zelena.

"She didn't force me into this. I asked to be included," Mulan answered defensively.

Emma shook her head sadly. "Honestly, Mulan. I expected better from you," Emma chastises. And then she shoulders past the Asian woman and grumpily heads up to her hotel room.

She ignores when Robin comes knocking on her door to check if she's there. But all she does is hold her pillow clutched to her chest, not breathing, until he goes away, his steps soft on the carpeted floor.

Regina doesn't come to check up. And neither does Zelena or Mulan. Which is fine. Emma doesn't want to see any of them right now.

* * *

The third day of Emma's vacation ends up with her washed up on a beach, more hung over than she's felt in a while. She had no intention of ending up like this but then again, what did she expect to happen when she started drinking at eight in the morning. The catalyst to send her down had been muffled thumping noises from the room next door that made her feel sick to her very core. She escaped without even brushing her hair properly, not that she cared when her emotions felt an even bigger mess.

She had been sipping on her mimosa in the deserted and empty bar when a group of young women had come in, being loud and riotous even this early on. They were all pin thin and wearing skimpy clothing, full faces of make up on. Models, is what Emma thought. And she wasn't wrong.

One of them slid up to the spot by her on the bar, even though there was literally anywhere else to go. She reeled off an impressive list of drinks and the bar tender got to work. Then the model unexpectedly turned her attentions to Emma.

"What's a girl like you doing here by yourself so early?"

She had a slight twang to her voice. It was shocking because she didn't look like she came from the south. She had eclectic features that meant she could come from any European nations, and yet, she was American.

"What does it look like," Emma retorted, shaking her glass that was already half empty.

"Rough day?" the girl said in sympathy.

"More like rough life," Emma responded with dourly.

The girl contemplated something before speaking up again. "Why don't you come with me and the girls then?"

Emma's eyes bulged out at this. She was getting invited out somewhere? And by a model? "Uh, I'm not sure."

"It'll be be just for a bit. Make your day better," Dorthy pressed.

Emma thought back to her empty room. To Robin's room right next to hers and the noises that had come from there this morning. She shuddered. She didn't dare go back yet. "Alright. I'm game."

"Excellent! Me and the girls are going on a yacht ride down the coast. Lots of drinking and music."

Yes. Anything to distract her from how Regina wasn't hers. She followed them out after they had gotten their drinks to the dock a little ways from the hotel. They were all so full of energy and bursting with joy at being able to be together. She didn't know if she could keep up with them, but they all came off as friendly to her, one girl handing her a drink as the yacht pulls out, chopping up clear water.

"So, I can see modeling is treating you well," Emma said as the wind brushed through her hair.

Dorthy shrugged as she took a sip of her pineapple drink. "I'm just a simple country girl from Kansas who made it big," she said, smiling. "Some bloke saw me in town going for milk and he was taken with my looks. And that's how I became a model. I don't mind the job. I find it interesting. What about you? What do you do?"

Emma hesitated. Should she tell the truth of her job? But Dorthy's face looked so accepting. It didn't seem like the girl had a single bad bone in her body. "You could say I service individuals in a certain way. Cater to their dark sides."

"Oh, that sounds so interesting. I bet you have a lot of stories to tell from your job."

"That I do. Not all of them pleasant."

"You must tell me some time. For now, I want you to meet the rest of the squad." Dorthy went around and introduced the girls, all pin thin and models like her. And that was how Emma's day went to shit.

Drinking who the fuck knows what from the models secret stash, singing off key and swaying off rhythm to blasting music. Talking and laughing with them. Not having a care in the world. By the time the sun had drawn down below the horizon, Emma was truly blacked out and when she wakes up, she finds herself on the beach.

She's flat on her stomach, and she spits out sand as she slowly gets up, her head swaying like a boat on the water. She smells like alcohol and sea water. "Where the fuck am I?" she groans out. She hasn't had a black out this bad since high school. She can't remember anything. Did she embarrass herself? Well, at least she didn't have to think about Robin and Regina for a while.

She surveys the place around her. They're at a little boat house and all around Emma are the models from last night, surrounded by used red solo cups. Some are on hammocks, others sleeping on the sand. Emma must have fallen out of her hammock. She groans out as she straightens her back and hears something crack. She's hungry but nauseous at the same time and doesn't even know what to do with herself.

She has to get back to the hotel but she has no idea where she even is. The yacht bobs in the water to her right and might just be the only way for her to get back to the hotel.

Whelp, she sinks down into the sand with a groan and waits for the rest of the models to wake up so they can take her back.

* * *

"Thanks, I appreciate the invite," Emma says as her feet touch the ground. The yacht has made it back to shore and Emma is grateful because she doesn't think her stomach could have handled any more swaying.

"Then I'll see you there," Dorthy says. The model barely looks worn down from excessive drinking and despite sleeping face first in sand, she looks put together like magic. Emma wishes she could be like that. She waves Dorthy off and then trudges back down to the hotel where she finds a worried Regina and Robin at the lobby desk, questioning the man there, who looks frazzled by their pressing.

Regina turns around in exasperation when the man behind the desk answers in the negative and her eyes land on Emma. On Emma, who looks like she'd been washed up. Regina's eyes open wide and something like relief flooded her face as she tugged on Robin's elbow. He turned around too, saw Emma, thanked the man and then headed towards Emma with his fiance.

Emma didn't know if she should run or stay, because with each step Regina took towards her, she looked more and more pissed off.

"Emma, we were worried about you," Robin said softly, hand around Regina's shoulders in a soothing manner as they finally stood in front of Emma and it was too late for the blonde to run.

Oh. Emma's mouth dried out. She wasn't used to people being concerned over her and she hadn't thought that her actions might scare them.

"I just made a friend and we decided to hang out," she replied with, hoping it would clear up things.

"What if she was a serial killer? Or a kidnapper? Than what?" Regina interjected angrily.

"But she wasn't any of those," Emma said, letting out a soft groan. Her headache was not going away any time soon.

"You don't know that," Regina spat out before Robin could say anything else in a more calm manner. He rubbed Regina's shoulder in support and consoling.

"Please, can we not do this?" Emma groaned out, feeling much like a scolded child right now. She didn't feel well. Regina was not about to relent but Robin saved Emma. "Of course. We're just happy you're okay."

"Yea, me too," she said wryly before she headed towards her hotel room. They followed after her to make sure she was okay. As soon as she was inside she plopped onto her bed face first. She knew she should shower because she had sand in places it shouldn't be, but she really needed some rest.

She awoke to a knocking on her door about three hours later. She didn't want to get up to get it but the knocking was persistent and so with a low groan she got up, having slept so soundly she hadn't even moved from her position of being face first down on the sheets.

Regina was on the other side of the door. "You're alive," she breathed out, and subsequently tried to smother her worry with anger. "And what the hell were you thinking doing all that?" she demanded as she pushed her way into the room.

Emma sucked in an annoyed breath at this intrusion. She shut the door. "Don't worry, I'll live another day to serve you."

Regina shot an alarmed look at the wall. As if worried Robin would over hear.

"Why did you even do something foolish like that?" she continued when nothing like Robin breaking through the wall occurred.

"Why should it matter what I do?" Emma huffed, going to the mini fridge. She was parched. She opened a bottle of water and chugged it in one go. Much better. "I was bored and I'm an adult. So I hung out with some people. Big deal."

"It is. Like I said, something bad could have happened. You don't know those people," Regina said vehemently before another idea struck her. "You were bored? Are me and Robin not entertaining enough?"

And here Emma had inadvertently offended Regina. She might as well continue upon this path; maybe that way Regina would give her some peace of mind. And leave her alone to wallow in her hangover.

"I'm young. I like getting crazy once in a while. I understand you don't do that-" and Emma had been to one of Regina's parties before, so she knew. Regina cut her off.

"I _do_ know how to have fun," Regina retorted, looking more pissed off about this than Emma would have thought.

"Sure," Emma scoffed.

"You don't believe me? Is that why you've gone out traipsing the beaches with whores."

Emma nearly laughed out loud. Wow. Now she understood some things more easily. "I didn't take you for someone who got jealous."

Regina's lips twisted up. "I'm not."

"Doesn't sound that way to me."

Regina leaned in as Emma continued casually drinking on her second bottle of water. "Then I'll prove you wrong. I'm going to whatever event it is you're going to be at tomorrow. I can be fun." With that she left and Emma, instead of feeling annoyed at Regina's insistence on going with her to the bonfire, felt happy. The mayor's true feelings were showing. She wasn't interested in sharing Emma.

But then Emma tempered down on the feelings inside of her. Just because Regina didn't want to share Emma didn't mean it was good news. Or that she liked her no matter what Zelena felt or thought. She downed the rest of her drink and texted Dorthy if it would be cool if she asked a friend over for the event.

The reply came back affirmative two seconds later and Emma wondered if this would be a good idea.

Uncertainty on if this was a good idea continued to follow her the rest of the day as she showered, took some pills to ease her hangover, felt better and went about her day and following one in which she spent a lot of time on the beach, and up until it was time to pick up Regina the next day. She took one look at the mayor's outfit and shook her head disapprovingly. "What? What's wrong?" the mayor demanded, one hand on the door frame.

"If you're trying to be 'fun' than ditch the cargo shorts and put on some booty shorts."

"I don't own anything like what you wear," Regina said, looking over Emma's own outfit which was short shorts and a tank top with spaghetti straps. Her long blonde hair was in beach waves down her shoulders thanks to the salty water from the ocean.

"Well, then we'll have to make do," Emma said. "Let me see what you have."

Regina let her into the room where Robin was missing. "Robin not around?" she couldn't help from asking.

"He's watching a game at the bar," Regina said in a whatever manner as Emma shifted through her bag.

"He doesn't want to come?" Emma couldn't help from pressing but it was odd how Robin was leaving Regina alone now when he had been glued to her side nearly the whole vacation time.

Regina shook her head. "He said he wanted to give us some girl time."

Emma frowned as she gave up on Regina's clothes. "You really don't have anything fun. But I guess you can make this into a crop top," she said, pulling out a shirt that could be tied up in a manner that would allow for it to look shorter. She threw it at Regina who took it and went into the bathroom to change. Emma wanted to point out that she had already seen Regina naked before so there was no need for such hiding but whatever.

Regina reemerged and she looked about twenty percent more ready to party.

"I hope you can handle your liquor," Emma said teasingly and Regina scoffed. "Of course I can. Now lead the way."

They arrived at the beach after ten pm. It wasn't the popular side of the beach but a little ways down out of sight. A bonfire was already raging as Emma could smell smoke in the air and hear the shouts of excited go-ers. She felt excitement thrum in her veins. She had missed such parties. But she was also full of anticipation. How the hell would the mayor of Storybrook act during this party.

But the woman seemed set on coming with Emma.

"Emma!" Dorthy called out and raced up to her, already three drinks in. She hugged Emma and Emma tried not to fall back from the force of the hug. She hadn't expected the girl to have so much strength in her body. The model pulled back and look at Regina.

"Nice to meet Emma's friend," Dorthy said and lead them towards the bonfire. There were a bunch of young boys and girls there, all drinking. Regina seemed hesitant to be here now, like she had just realized this wasn't her scene.

"Not backing out, are you?" Emma teased and Regina shook her head, bolstering herself.

"No. I can be fun," she repeated haughtily and snatched up a beer that someone stuck at her.

They settled down on some logs by the fire, the girls from the yacht coming up to Emma and chatting with her.

She could see from the corner of her Regina wrinkling up her nose at the topics being discussed with exuberance but she didn't make a nasty comment, smartly sipping on her drink. She spoke when talked to, but didn't contribute much. It wasn't until her tenth beer that she began to loosen up a bit and that's when the dancing began. Everyone in the group starting doing group dances like the YMCA and the laffy taffy. Emma had to teach Regina how to do some of them and they would laugh as their uncoordinated arms and legs stirred up the night air.

Like this, it was easy to think of them as simply people. Like Zelena had stated before to Emma- that Emma needed to see Robin and Regina as people and as not defined by their job positions. And maybe, Emma could see a bit of that tonight.

But too soon it was time for them to leave.

After all the shouting and dancing and laughing around a giant pit of fire, they retire to walking the beach to cool their heads. The sand is cool underfoot and the waves lap so softly against their ears though both can barely hear it over the beating of their hearts.

The bonfire is long behind them, drunken steps taking them far, hands linked together unconsciously. The sea air is crisp against their faces but they do not feel it, only the warm blush of alcohol against their skin and something more.

"I haven't had that much fun in...years," Regina decides as she tosses her head back, taking in the sky with squinted eyes, like the light there is too bright.

"I'm glad you liked it. Got a chance to loosen up."

Here Regina span on her heel so quickly it made the both of them dizzy. She grabbed onto the front of Emma's tank to steady herself. "Yes me too," she said softly. "I'm glad you took me out."

"Even if you bitched and complained about it, madam mayor." Emma teased, licking her lips unconsciously. Regina follows the motion, breathing out a single "yes," before she's diving forward.

They're kissing, a mess of lips and teeth and tongue that has them both groaning in relief. Hands scramble to touch skin, to push clothing aside. They stumble under the press of each other, swaying with the rushing tides.

And this is the reason Emma doesn't drink around Regina, why she rejected her offer of a drink each time. Because with her inhibitions lowered by drink, she can't keep her hands off of Regina. And neither does it seem, can Regina.

They tumble onto the sand, out in plain sight where anyone could see them if they walked this far. But neither of them care. Regina's on top of Emma, straddling her lap and ripping her shirt and bra off and tossing it somewhere into the sand. The moonlight reflects off of her perfect skin, making it shine almost ethereal. Like she is from another world.

Emma doesn't hesitate to lean up and mouth a path to Regina's breasts, sucking up one nipple and kneading the other with skilled fingers despite her inebriation.

Regina's hips jerk and she's so hot through the thin material of her shorts. Emma wants to feel more. So she reverses their positions, pushing Regina into the sand and ripping her pants off. They fall somewhere off to the side as do her panties before Emma is pushing into her, Regina dripping past the stages of foreplay.

Regina's wraps her legs around Emma's back and pulls her in closer. Tugs her like she's afraid to let her go. There is a rawness to this, pure emotions and adrenaline fueling them on. It's almost as if the walls they had built had dissolved between them and left them exposed and ready for their hearts to meet. Emma wanted nothing more in that moment than to have Regina cum, to scream her pleasure out into the air.

"Oh god, oh god!" bursts from Regina's lips as Emma pushes into her, as she kisses up and down her neck and leaves marks that will surely bruise.

"Whose are you?" Emma growls out, barely understanding where this need to claim Regina so ardently is stemming from. She just knows she needs it to happen like she needs air to breathe. Things have never been this intense before and she's almost frightened by the strength of her feelings. Yet, she does not pause to think about it because if she does, Regina won't cum and that is a crime that Emma will not abide. "Whose are you?"

"Yours, Emma, yours," Regina admits in a strangled voice just as she cums hard.

The words fill Emma with immeasurable happiness and she kisses Regina ardently until the woman is breathless and boneless in her arms to show her pleasure at this. And Regina returns the kisses with the same amount of fervor, running her hands through Emma's hair, tugging on it, stroking it. She lowers her lips to Emma's neck, mouthing words that cannot be heard over the swelling of Emma's heart beat.

They suspiciously feel a lot like 'I love you' but that could be her own foolish hopes. Her imagination filling in blanks for her heart.

Instead she focuses on Regina's pleasure again, pushing her down into the sand and bringing her to a peak over and over again until she can't come anymore.

Emma's body is throbbing with arousal but she can't think to take care of it now, not when it's gotten so late and they have to get back home. Some of the liquor has left their bodies, left them tired and spent and ready for bed.

Except when they stumble into the hotel, into the hallway where they lean against each other for too long, and giggle too loud, a voice interrupts them. Popping them from their daze. Disrupting the world that had only been the two of them.

Emma squints but she's able to make out the green shirt robe, the towel covering red hair and those piercing features under a green clay mask. The woman rips one cucumber slice off of each eye. "Some of us are trying to sleep here."

It's Zelena. And naturally, she has a room not far from theirs. Emma can't even be mad about this. Not when she's so happy. She eyes them as Regina and Emma both try to act normal. And like they're not totally drunk. Zelena narrows her eyes at them. "Emma, Regina," she states like she hadn't expected them to be like this. "What are you doing?" She looks down at their conjoined hands and Emma has the cognition left to drop them. Regina doesn't notice.

"Swimming."

"Drinking." They both say at the same time. They look at each other, almost burst out into laughter. They can't get their stories straight. No surprise when they can't even get themselves straight.

"Both. We did both," Emma fills in at last. Mulan peeps her head out of the open door to Zelena's room. She's got her hair in a bun and a sleeping mask on her forehead, pulled up. "Oh, it's you two," she says, like she can't be mad at them for being so loud when it's them.

Zelena sighs. Bites a cucumber slice in anguish. Looks like she doesn't believe them the slightest but relents. "Regina, get your drunken arse into my room. Robin can't see you like this."

"I'm fine, honestly," Regina hiccups a bit. "He won't even notice."

"Yes you will, especially if you smell like a whole brewery was dumped on you," Zelena says, reaching for Regina's hands and already tugging her in. Regina doesn't resist much, not that she can when she looks like she's about to tip over any second. And Emma is in no state to protect her. She almost opens her mouth to talk to Zelena. To invite herself in, but remembers they're fighting right now so she shuts her yap and fumbles in her pocket for a key card.

Zelena's busy with Regina, who keeps looking at Emma who keeps looking at the door, having a hard time swiping her card in.

"God damn it, Regina. You literally have sand everywhere. What the hell did you do? Fuck on the beach?" Zelena screams in annoyance and both Regina and Emma clamp their lips tightly on this. All Emma can hope is that Regina will keep her mouth shut and not give her sister anything. Emma manages her door open and stumbles into the room, not bothering to turn on the lights. She goes inside the bathroom, throws her clothes on the floor and showers, trying to get sand out of everywhere. The shower helps her become a bit more sober and when she finishes, she simply wraps herself up in a robe and chugs a whole bottle of water before she settles down on the bed covers.

Memories of not more than an hour ago flood her mind and she parts her legs, as the arousal that never went away flares to life inside her.

And that night in her bed, as Emma fingers her clit roughly and sobs her way through not one but three orgasms in a row, she realizes that it was the first time Regina had ever called out her name during sex.

There was a monumental shift between them.

How do they go back to being normal after this?

And for once, Emma finally contemplates on how Zelena might actually be right on all those occasions when she's mentioned Regina felt something for Emma. Because tonight, had felt so real. So _raw_. And Emma knows once the mayor sobers up and realizes what happened between them, things will change forever.


	16. Chapter 16

**Adrenalize Me**

* * *

 _Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me. Cuz I may be bad but I'm perfectly good at it_

 _-Rihanna-_

* * *

" _Emma.._." Regina's voice lingers in Emma's head as she wakes up from her slumber. Today's her last day in Aruba and what a way to start it, with a wet dream involving her and the mayor.

She feels more clear headed today and bites on the bottom of her lip to temp the irrepressible joy she feels inside as she thinks about how the mayor of Storybrooke might reciprocate her feelings. To be certain, it only makes their complicated situation even worse, but there's a lightness, a relief, in knowing that Emma's not the only one to feel something.

Maybe this might not have to turn into a Lily situation. Maybe they can work this out? Maybe Regina does care for her in a healthy manner and not just faking it out of sheer boredom like Lily had.

 _Don't be stupid,_ a dark part of Emma sneers. _In what world would Regina give up her fiance and her career to be with you?_ Emma groans at the intrusive thoughts and pulls herself out of bed so she can shower and pack quickly, the fears wiping away any pleasure she might have received from her dream world.

They have to check out at ten am today so Emma leaves her room at about half an hour till and finds Regina exiting the room at the same time, suitcase behind her. Their eyes lock and they still. For a good while nobody moves or says anything, just taking in each other with a new light after last night.

A half smile forms on Emma's face but Regina panics instead.

"Good-"

A slam as Regina hurries back inside the room, Emma's hand dropping from the greeting it was about to give.

Oh.

This was bad.

This was _very_ bad.

Immediately her stomach sours and her smile fizzles as her body grows cold. What if Regina hadn't wanted last night? What if she thought Emma had used her? Had pressured her to anything when it had been mutual? What if Emma was going to lose her job over this? Was going to lose her progress, however tentative, with the mayor?

A lump stands in her throat as unpleasant and unwanted thoughts assault her and she trudges down to the lobby, her suitcase squeaking sadly behind her.

* * *

Emma can't be happier to be back in her apartment. It smells unused, like dust, and she sighs out, flopping onto the couch and rubbing her pricking eyes. It had been nearly unbearable sitting next to the mayor on the flight back. The mayor was ice cold, not even bothering to look at Emma. Body stiffening up whenever they so much as were in close proximity. So much as whenever Emma even talked to Robin.

Robin noticed all this, obviously. He wasn't that blind. He held apologies in his eyes each time Emma tried to address Regina only to be brushed off, or when Emma tried to edge closer to Regina only for her to immediately retreat.

"She's just cranky probably because she has to go back to work. Don't mind her," he waved it off and even managed to get Emma a seat away from Regina on the plane so she wouldn't have to freeze her ass off from the chill emitting from her. But Robin himself didn't make any better leeway when trying to check up on her. She only looked more and more pissed off by his concern and so he dropped it there before she could bit his head off.

Emma wanted to ask Regina what was wrong. Why the hell couldn't they talk this out? Emma wouldn't know what to fix if Regina wouldn't let her!

Emma's heart ached each time she saw Regina move further and further away from her. Emma had been dumb. So, so dumb. Why had she ever believed a word Zelena said? The mayor didn't love her. Didn't care for her. Last night had been a mistake, letting things progress that far.

And Emma had foolishly raised her hopes, thinking more could come from it.

Going on vacation was supposed to help things, but it only made it worse. And as Emma stared up at the cracked ceiling of her bedroom she let out a deep sigh, burdened with every emotion wrought inside her. How could she face the mayor in a session ever again? _If_ there was even another session.

She just wished she could erase what had happened between them. And maybe everything would go back to normal once more.

But life didn't work that way.

* * *

Emma went back to work. Nothing like whipping disobedient subs to get her mind off of a more troubling sub. Ursula noticed her attitude, noticed how she was being a bit too harsh and he approached her. "Everything okay sweetie?" he asked, brushing back a strand of her hair behind her ear in maternal care.

Her lips quivered as everything threatened to spill out of her. But she couldn't say anything. If she did, she might get laid off from more work. And right now, she needed every distraction she could get her hands on.

"Just, a bit out of sorts," she said, fixing a plastic smile. It didn't reach her eyes. "It feels weird being back at work when I didn't have to do anything for almost a whole week."

He cuffed her chin gently. "Well, chin up then. You have a lot of work to do." He could tell she wasn't telling the whole truth but he didn't pry further. She would tell him in her own time.

So Emma threw herself into her work with everything she had, relishing in the muffled cries of pain and ecstasy. Of the cold steel chains, of the smell of leather. Everything stayed silent on the mayor's end and surprisingly on Zelena's as well. Emma had expected the red haired woman to badger her, to ask on what was going on. Emma even missed the British woman's persistent phone calls. She willed them to come but they didn't and she worried Zelena hated her now.

And Emma had expected the mayor to dismiss her entirely too. But when Emma asked Ursula if she was still on the mayor's roster, the answer had been a shocking yes.

Emma had dumbly blinked in shock.

Ursula had been shocked by her shock. "Something the matter?" he asked, tapping the ash off of his cigar.

"No, I just-uh, well she didn't request me for a while, so I thought she moved on?" Emma's voice sounded meek and uncertain even to her ears.

Ursula shook his head. "No. She's probably just busy. Or doesn't feel up to it. She'll contact us when she's ready."

Emma didn't know if a time like that would come. After all, the mayor was deep in the closet. So deep. And probably sleeping with Emma outside of their sessions had only pushed her even deeper inside.

Emma sighed out in a forlorn manner. Why did she always have to fall for the most complicated women?

But Emma's issues pale in comparison to Ruby's whose dealing with none other than Gold.

"The bastard's trying to come after Belle!" she growled out, as she paced Emma's apartment, full of anger and spite and maybe even fear.

"What the fuck? Why?" Emma asked, sipping angrily on her beer as she sat on the couch and watched Ruby pace.

"He's a fucking creep, that's why! And he has a crush on her or something." Ruby shook her head. "I've been staying over at her place so he doesn't show up but it's only a matter of time before he does something."

"Did you tell the cops?"

"And do you think they'll care? Gold's got them in his pockets. They'll turn a blind eye like they have those other times I tried to get a restraining order on him."

"What about moving out?" Emma suggests, because she wishes she could ask Regina to use her mayoral power to do something. But the woman's not talking to her. Zelena would be another option. The crazy red head would have him taken care of in two seconds flat. But that's another Mills sister that's not talking to her either.

"We don't exactly have the money to move somewhere far away from him. It's a lot, just uprooting. Belle has her business and I have my job..." she trailed off shaking her head. Her shoulders were slumped like she was weighed down by something. Something heart breaking.

She wishes she could do more to help Ruby and Belle but honestly, she's not much use herself. "Just try not to stress out too much. And keep me on speed dial. In case you need my help or something I'll pop by and pop him off."

"That's nice of you to offer. But I don't think we'll be able to get away with hurting him if he gets too close," Ruby said dejectedly and Emma feels her pain, she really does. But sometimes, the only thing to do is weather out the storm, much like she's doing with Regina.

* * *

When Emma goes back to her apartment that night, she finds Regina sitting on her couch, clacking away at her laptop. The sight of her there freezes Emma as she is filled with a flood of emotions. Like a dam has opened inside her and is drowning her.

She doesn't know which emotion to cling onto, so she doesn't pick one at all, instead letting them flush through her until she's wiped clean of them all, only feeling a numb sensation.

Regina doesn't notice Emma has come in and so the room is filled with the sound of Regina typing away and Emma's breaths leaving her mouth in little gasps. At last Regina looks up, closing her laptop. She folds her hands over the compact thing, looking somewhat so formal that Emma feels like she's walked into a board meeting or something.

Regina's in her sharp pantsuit, hair swept carefully to the side and lipstick bright on her lips, and Emma is sweaty after the gym, with her hair sticking up everywhere in a messy ponytail, and this is not how she expected to look when she saw the mayor again.

"Uh, hi," she croaks out. She can't read the mayor's face at all. It's like a mask has slid up it. "So, uh, what's the emergency this time?" Because Regina's only ever been in her apartment for sex and for emergencies and she can't think of why Regina would want to have sex with her when she's avoided her for so long.

But the mayor's gaze is strong on her, unlike how it had been that time all those days ago.

"Emma, I thought we should talk. About what happened on that beach."

Emma sucks in a breath. Here it comes. She nods her head. Doesn't breathe just yet.

Regina licks her lips, thinks of how to make this sound passable. "We were both drunk. And we fell into it because we were so used to being with each other intimately. Let's not make it into anything more than that. I trust your discretion."

Emma let out a harsh breath, feeling a stabbing pain next to her heart. What did she expect the mayor to say? That they could run off into the sunset together? That Regina would throw her whole world away because suddenly being an open gay was on her agenda? Fat chance of that. This would be for the best. They could both move on from this.

"Got it. Yup. Nothing more than that," she tried to instill fake cheeriness into her voice even as her heart crumbled and her mouth rambled. But Regina wasn't done.

"I also told Robin."

Emma feels everything inside her freeze again at that admission. Had they not been trying to keep this a secret? Namely _from_ him? What the hell was the mayor doing? Was she...was she cutting him loose?

"I didn't tell him it was you," the mayor soothed when she saw the alarm on Emma's face and mistook the concern there. It didn't help soothe Emma, however. The mayor let out a bereaved sigh. "He didn't believe me when I told him I'd slept with someone on the beach."

Emma could just imagine the scene. Regina, with a guilt stricken face, almost in tears, telling Robin who would look on at her with so much love and adoration and not being able to understand a single word coming from her lips.

He would wave it off, saying she must have made up stuff because she was drunk and that it didn't really happen. That the hickeys on her neck were nothing more than mosquito bites.

Okay, so nothing had been mentioned about the sessions. But still...why did Regina tell him now? Of all times? Was it guilt?

She watched the mayor's face for any clue, but her voice was even and her face unreadable still. "He just doesn't think I would do something like that, even if I was drunk." She closed her eyes to hide the flash of pain from Emma and she took in a shaking breath. "He's too good for me. Sometimes I wish he wasn't." Another pause. "I admit, I have no idea what I'm doing anymore."

Emma could hear the cracks in her voice now. A facade slowly crumbling. "I thought hiring you to deal with my inner urges so I could keep up a 'happy straight' relationship would work out fine. But," at this she shook her head, mad at herself. "I don't know anymore."

"Do you want to stop?" the fear blurts out of Emma's mouth before she can even stop it. Regina jolts at her suggestion. "No." Resolute, certain. Absolute. Emma wished she could be as decided as her.

"I tried to be normal these past two months, but I can't anymore." Regina got up, her hands fidgeting nervously. The cool she had had was slowly diminishing in the face of her true emotions, under the flow and ebb of them. "I want us to continue what we had. Just, no more slip ups like the beach."

Emma nods her head. Amazed by what she is hearing. There's more to this that Regina isn't letting on but she won't press. Things had almost gone down the drain before. She doesn't want to risk that. Not when she has two more sessions with Regina.

She's going to savor them with all she's got. Because after that, they're done even if Regina doesn't know it. And it means Emma needs to be done with her emotions too.

Emma wants to bitterly laugh out loud. Ursula has given her the chance so many times to pass Regina off if Emma doesn't want her as a client, but it seems Emma's a bit of masochist despite her dom status, because she keeps powering on through, letting this situation continue to hurt her.

"Thank you for understanding," Regina gives a wry smile, says, even if Emma doesn't fully understand. She picks up her laptop, her bag, and brushes past Emma on her way out. Her perfume wafts past Emma's nose and she inhales it, longing for the days when that scent was imprinted into her skin from their constant fucking.

Emma tells herself it is better this way. She'll get over the crush eventually. Regina cannot be dragged into Emma's world. Emma cannot stress this enough times. And if Regina wants to keep playing it at being straight than that's Regina's business. Emma will not force her out of the closet. That night on the beach had scared Regina despite her not saying it.

It seemed there was a line. As long as the service was just that, a service, than it was a different matter. But it being a genuine thing, that frightened the mayor. She couldn't handle acting out on her desires as not something she paid for, but as something she could do in a relationship. Because she could have all that so easily and she was too scared to go for it.

The door closes with a silent whoosh and Emma stares at her feet, her stomach a knot of emotions she doesn't want to figure out. She digs her phone out and calls Ruby. She needs a girls night out and she needs to black out.

She's made her resolution. As soon as the sessions are done, she's gone.

* * *

"You really must stop ending up on my bed when you black out, or else Mulan is going to think you're trying to seduce me," Zelena's dry humor is the first thing Emma wakes up to, as she sits up with a groan. She's half dressed, her pants missing somewhere and revealing the underwear she's wearing.

"Duck print. Cute for someone whose a dominatrix."

"Oh suck it," Emma grunts out, not in the mood for this.

A door creaks open and Mulan shows up, carrying a tray with tea in it. "I made something to help. It won't taste good but it gets rid of hangovers." She hands a cup over to Emma who grimaces as she sips from it. Mulan wasn't lying about the taste. It tastes about as good as burnt rubber.

The taste also chastises her in a way because she tones back the snappish attitude. "Sorry. I don't mean to crash here each time. Thanks for having me."

Zelena studies her, hands on hips, while Mulan leaves the room. Emma pretends to be busy studying the tea but they both know there's a very important conversation to be had. "I heard."

"Heard what," Emma says, her heart beating faster in her chest.

"Robin's and Regina's conversation."

That's old news. "I know about it. She told him she cheated on him. And he laughed it off."

Zelena cocks her head, tries to assess Emma's feelings. Emma puts on a neutral face; it helps that she's so hungover it hurts to smile or grimace. "So you two did have sex." She scoffs. Not the reaction Emma expected from Zelena who had been trying so hard to get them together. She expected massive jubilant and not this brimming disappointment. "And yet, the two of you are still shite. I was rooting for you both."

"Zelena, I don't want to push Regina into coming out when she's not ready."

"She won't ever _be_ ready if you continue acting like this."

Emma glowers. "So you want me to out her?" That's a terrible idea that no gay appreciates if they're not ready yet.

Zelena shakes her head. Her eyes are soft now. Sad almost. "Emma, let me tell you, Regina's not in a great position." She sits down next to Emma, voice taking on a gentle tone. "Our mother...well she's the source of much pain and strife in our life. I had the good luck to not be raised by her or have to interact with her too often, but Regina grew up in a very abusive household. She was beaten by her mother for the smallest inconvenience and her father would do nothing about it."

That sounded terrible. She had never expected that of Regina's past.

"Cora had visions of the perfect life for Regina. And that involved being in politics and marrying a rich white man and starting a family with him. There was no space for Regina's own opinions and hobbies, much less for her own sexual preference. Only now has she started to rebel a bit against what our mother put on her."

Emma could feel Zelena building up to something. Something she wanted Emma to do. "And?"

"And, Emma, Regina's not going to come out and fight for her own happiness until you convince her otherwise."

Emma grit her jaw, clenched her teeth, feeling a strain over come her. "So, what, you want me to play at being some sort of white knight? At saving her?"

"No. You don't have to do that. Just...show her what she's missing out on. Nobody deserves the situation they've been pushed into."

Emma contemplates this, feeling more lost than ever.

"Also, are you still mad at me about Aruba?" Zelena asks.

"Yes. Very," Emma answers without hesitation. She smells an opening. "But, you can fix that, if you help me with something."

"Anything," she says with a gentle smile and pats Emma on her knee.

* * *

Emma doesn't know what Zelena expects her to do to help Regina from her situation. It's none of Emma's business except it is, and she just wishes things were easier. Her first instinct is to take Regina to a gay club but that would probably be a big no and so Emma blows up a strand of hair and turns on the TV louder instead to drown out her annoying thoughts.

Eventually the mayor books a session with Emma and the blonde dom is practically shaking with nerves.

Emma doesn't know how she can go back to normal in her sessions with Regina when they've progressed so much farther past them. When she can still hear Regina calling out her name as she cums. It's like asking to give up something better for something worse. Nobody wants to do that. Not if they can avoid it.

Regina doesn't have the same qualms about this.

She's ready to throw herself into this play, as if it will erase everything. As if losing herself in it will make up for the fact of what they shared before.

Ever the actress and consummate professional, Emma masks her inner feelings and does what she's been paid to.

And it's a pretty standard session. Orgasm denial, some whipping. Surprisingly Regina doesn't come off as a glut for punishment like in previous times when something had happened at her job and she wanted to be punished for it.

So why no pain now? Not when Emma could have ruined Regina's relationship with Robin? Things don't make sense but Emma isn't being paid to think about this, but to pleasure Regina and so she does, the whole time feeling like it's all happening behind a glass wall.

It's the end of the session where things take a turn.

"Mistress, I want to taste you," Regina spouts out, and the sentiment freezes Emma for a good two seconds. This wasn't the first time she had been requested to be fucked by a client, and she didn't have to do it, didn't owe them anything other than the pain and humiliation they signed up for. She had been begged to be touched, to be tasted, but she never expected Regina to ask to do it.

"Do you?" she asks, just as she is loosening the handcuffs from the frame of her bed. She moves once more, sitting back on her haunches to observe Regina coolly. It takes her all of one second to decide that yes, she wants Regina's tongue on her, fucking her hard. But she won't seem greedy for it. She won't. "And why should I indulge you? How badly do you want it?"

"I ache for it with my very being. I will die if I don't get it," Regina says hoarsely from where she lays spread out under Emma, her tan hands drifting up to caress pale thighs clad in leather.

Emma quirks up her lip. "Don't be so dramatic, pet." She gets up off the bed, sits down on the chaise and spreads her legs. "Crawl to me," she demands and Regina does so diligently on her hands and knees. Her eyes are trained on the apex of Emma's thighs and Emma has to settle her hands on her thighs to calm her nerves. This is sort of a fucking big deal for her but she doesn't want to give Regina the impression of that.

Regina makes it to the edge of the chaise, hands crawling up to touch the softness of Emma's thighs, to properly worship. Her eyes have not once moved from the thin material covering Emma's crotch. "Go ahead pet," Emma permits and Regina's face moves in, nose buried in Emma's panties, inhaling her scent of arousal. She let's out a small groan of delight and Emma tries to stop the prickles of goosebumps on her skin, bubbling up in anticipation.

Something inside screams red flag, that doing this is bringing them closer to what they had on that beach, that something that Regina had put a stake through. But apparently it's back from the dead because it's creeping inside both of them, rushing through their veins, overcoming their minds.

Regina looks up with devout eyes, wordlessly asking if she can proceed. Emma gives a subtle nod of her head and thus they spiral down deeper into the hole.

The underwear is removed hastily before Regina dives right in, impatient yet slow, thoughtful and worshiping at the same time. She's savoring every moment of this, trying to make it last, and it's torment on Emma who feels an orgasm being slowly built in her, who wishes Regina would hurry up but she too wants this to last, wants to savor it because she knows she shouldn't do this but the wrong feels so good.

Regina swirls her tongue, spreads Emma's folds, sucks on her clit and Emma arches into her with silent groans, a light sheen spreading on her back from the painful slowness of her pleasure being built. Still, she encourages Regina. "Good girl," she murmurs in soothing tones as Regina clutches Emma's thighs tightly as if afraid she will escape from her. So Emma runs her fingers through Regina's hair to comfort her, silky locks thick in her fingers.

And when Emma comes at last in Regina's mouth, she tugs hard on those locks as Regina murmurs her pleasure at servicing Emma. But she doesn't stop there. She keeps going, lapping up all of Emma's wetness and employing the use of teeth this time. She scraps them against Emma's clit, nibbles on her, and Emma comes for a second time, eyes fluttering shut and thighs holding tight onto Regina who licks up the mess obediently.

"Good girl," Emma praises breathlessly as she pulls Regina up from between her legs. The woman's face is smeared with wetness and Emma wipes it away. "I think your efforts deserve a reward, don't they? What would you like me to do to you?"

Emma expects Regina to say she wants to be pinned to the wall, that she wants to be fucked from behind, that she wants to be humiliated. But she surprises Emma, and perhaps herself, with her request. "I want to kiss you. Kiss you until we can't kiss any longer."

It's just...such a domestic request. So normal...that it makes Emma's insides churn more pleasurably than any orgasm. So much for the mayor's request in returning their sessions to normal. That was a valiant yet failed attempt.

Emma studies her, eyes wide and Regina shrinks back, ashamed at her own want. "I-we don't have to- I just-"

Emma cuts off her stammering by tugging the woman up to her lap and shutting her up with a forceful kiss. "I think it's cute," Emma hurries to reassure because it made her heart clench in adoration and made Regina all that more lovable to her. "I think you've gotten all domesticated on me, pet." Their lips meet again, and again, hot and needy, teeth clashing, tongues battling as mouths slanted against each other. Regina's hands twined in Emma's hair, over her neck, digging nails in with delicious pressure. Emma tugged Regina in closer by her ass so that her hot center was resting on her stomach, Regina wiggling in more to get more contact.

Their excited pants filled the room, warm breath caressing skin and kiss swollen lips. Emma could feel Regina growing slick against her, feel the faint throb of her arousal on her stomach muscles. Emma ducks her head down and nibbles a path, careful not to leave a mark, Regina throwing her back while her hand scrambled to push Emma's face up to meet her once more in a heated kiss. Her hips began to grind, seeking friction.

"Are you trying to get off without asking my permission?" Emma asked playfully.

"No mistress," Regina breathed as Emma's lips. "I only need your lips. I don't need you to touch me." But Regina's already so worked up from eating Emma up that the blonde wonders why Regina is denying the need for relief. Her hips do still but her lips do not, nipping, licking and sucking on Emma's lips.

To be honest, Emma is getting turned on again despite how intimate this exchange is, despite how much she shouldn't have done it. But that's how it is with Regina, a lot of should'ves and shouldn't haves and Emma can never bring herself to make the smart choice.

Grabbing onto Regina by her thighs, she hefts the both of them up and slams them into the adjoining wall and Regina groans as her legs wrap around Emma's back and her hands dig into her blonde tresses. "You like this, don't you? Pinned to the wall like the sick freak you are," Emma hisses between kisses. "But you're mine. My little pet." She rolls her stomach into Regina's slit, teasing and taunting her with barely a touch before she pulls Regina's lower half from the wall and slams right into her, right into the wall again.

The neighbors will surely complain but they are the farthest thing from Emma's mind right now.

The motions send jolts of pain and pleasure racing up and back down, coalescing into thick heat. Regina throws her head back and moans but doesn't do anything to try to get off. Good girl, she's really holding true to her word. "You really don't want me to touch you? To fuck you so good in that needy little cunt of yours that you'll drip down your legs and have to sit to keep from falling?"

Regina shakes her head. "No. My reward is enough for me right now. Just don't stop kissing me."

Emma wonders where this is coming from-where is Regina's ardent need for kissing formed? But she doesn't have time to think, pressing her lips up and down the column of Regina's neck while she continues to slam their hips into the wall anyways and roll her stomach into Regina's slit. "You're my pet," she whispers out, needing, wishing, to know Regina is hers even if it is just fantasy, and then bites down deeply on the junction of Regina's neck and collarbone, sucking the flesh into her mouth, soothing it.

Regina's legs are trembling in that way they do when she's reached her peak and Emma knows she's going to come before Regina even knows it. So she grinds harder into her, slipping a hand down in between to help though it doesn't take too long. Hot wetness gushes out and she shudders, sagging in Emma's hold. Emma watches her do so with careful eyes. Something's changed between and she doesn't know what. She feels stripped of her defenses, feels uncomfortable. She's so out of sorts, she doesn't even want to punish Regina for coming without her consent.

Regina comes down from her high, nuzzles Emma's neck, tugs on her earlobe and Emma sets her down, needing space, needing to run from the fucking intensity of it all. "Mistress?" Regina husks, eyes confused. "Aren't you going to punish me? I came without you saying I could."

"N-no, it's okay. I just remembered I have someone coming over. I need to clean all of this up," Emma says, not looking at Regina, not able to see what expression she is making.

"Oh," Regina says and it sound vulnerable, disappointed, and sad.

"I'm sorry- I don't mean to cut this short. I won't charge you for tonight if you don't want me to," Emma is shoving tools into her bag, is grabbing a change of clothes for the shower.

"Emma-" Emma can feel the fleeting touch of Regina's fingertips reaching out for her, but she disappears before they can land. In the shower she scrubs and scrubs as her skin, the spot where Regina came on her, tingling to the touch. She washes her lips, spits out the soap that gets into her mouth. She needs to wash this all away. Wash away - _fuck, they had made love with each other sober and during a session and the damn way it was so soft and that expression in Regina's eyes-_ the proof, the link, that the both of them are falling in love more and more each day.

And Emma can't deal with this- with this constant back and forth on her heart. Either the mayor wants her or she doesn't. But Emma's tired of always being the one to put her heart on the line. Let the mayor do it for once.

She doesn't dare soothe the ache between her legs this time.

 **A/N: We're getting into the endgame now.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Adrenalize Me**

* * *

 _I'd bite, I'd scratch, I'd hold you down_

 _Just to turn you on_  
 _I'd leave you waiting tied and bound_  
 _Just to turn you on_  
 _Close your eyes and come with me tonight_  
 _I'd burn this whole room to the ground_  
 _Just to turn, just to turn you on_

 _-Turn you On, Stitched up Heart-_

* * *

"Emma, thank you so much," Ruby and Belle enthused in unison, holding their hands on top of the table and looking at each other with such relief and happiness in their eyes. "Honestly, we don't know how to thank you for what you did."

"So we hope lunch can help express our gratitude," Belle added as the four of them sat in one of the fanciest restaurants in their town.

"How come she's getting thanked, I did all the work," Zelena sniffs, crossing her arms over her chest.

"We're getting to that," Ruby said, rubbing her girlfriend's back as they smiled at the orange haired woman. "And most of all we thank you, Zelena, for actually listening to our plight and helping us."

The woman smiled, smug. "You're welcome."

"I actually don't know what happened," Emma confessed, though she wouldn't turn down a free meal. All she had done was ask Zelena for a favor in taking on Gold in exchange that it would make up for Zelena dragging her onto that awful trip. And Zelena had readily jumped to the occasion, solving Ruby's and Belle's issue within record time.

"Ah, and this is where the story telling begins," Zelena announced grandly. She rubbed her hands in excitement of telling a tale of her dastardly deeds.

They all leaned in to listen.

"First, I did some research on Gold. Tried to see if I could find anything to blackmail him with. Unfortunately, for a business man, he's insanely clean. Not a single bad business venture or act of suspicious activity. So, I decided to take another approach. If he was scaring Belle and making her uncomfortable with his advances, why couldn't I do the same?" Zelena started, looking gleeful as she recounted this adventure. Emma had a feeling she knew where this was going.

"So, I began to stalk him. I found where he lived, began to send him anonymous love notes. Left him flowers. Told him how much I desired to be with him. Then I began to break into his house when he was at work and take his things, or leave grander presents for him. I admit, it was kind of fun annoying him like that. He was getting scared, especially when I told him I was watching over him when he slept. He was so occupied with me, he began to forget to harass poor Belle."

"And while Zelena did this, we moved out and found another apartment, one he wouldn't know where we lived in, just in case," Ruby added.

"And then for the final act, I showed up disguised at his house with a knife and said if he couldn't love me than no one else could and that I would always be watching over him, so if he even dared to bring somebody else over I would end them. This frightened the shit out of him and he tried to get me arrested but I peaced out of there real quick. And now, from time to time I send him creepy notes. But suffice to say, I think his affections and attentions towards Belle have been ended properly." Zelena finished proudly and Emma shook her head, a low whistle emitting from her lips. Zelena truly was something else. Emma made sure she would never get on the Mills' sisters bad side.

"And again, we thank you for your help, Zelena. Feel free to get anything," Belle said.

Zelena nodded her head, having every intention of ordering the most expensive thing she could find. "We good now?" she asked Emma, who nodded her head yes. They were even now.

* * *

Emma comes in and can't say she's not surprised to see Regina already in her apartment. But what she is suprised about is to see Regina in the kitchen...cooking? Like she owns Emma's apartment. Emma's not mad about this because it means free food. Free good food.

"Get hungry while waiting?" Emma asks, inhaling the waft of spicy chicken and roasted vegetables.

"Did you know you barely have any vegetables in the kitchen?" Regina asks from where she is chopping up some basil to use to sprinkle up on the chicken.

"Yea, and I like it like that," Emma retorts, stopping by Regina, watching her smooth chopping motions. Emma doesn't know why she is consistently surprised by Regina cooking. She guessed she always expected someone else to do the cooking for Regina.

She looks entirely at ease in the kitchen, sleeves of her black shirt rolled up and necessary ingredients already out.

"Horrid, absolutely horrid," Regina says not sparing Emma a look, but there is a curl to her upper lip meaning she's amused to some extent.

"Besides," Emma switches her tone to something lower, sultrier, and presses the entire length of her front against Regina's back. "Why bother with vegetables when I have something so much better to eat?" This she husks into Regina's ear and the mayor's hand falters on the knife just a little.

Emma runs her hands up and down Regina's sides, rucking up her skirt. "Don't you agree?" Emma hums, breath hot on Regina's ear, fingers hungry and searching as she pins the mayor to the counter, leaving enough space for only her hand to slip under Regina's skirt.

"No panties?" Emma gasps out in surprise, pleased, especially when she finds the spot between the apex of Regina's thighs wet and wanting. "Did you go to work like this? Did you get all excited there for me? Been worked up all day because you know at the end of the day I'd fuck you just like you like?"

Regina gives up the farce of being able to cut up herbs anymore. "Emma," she breathes out, throwing her head back onto Emma's sturdy shoulder as the blonde's hands languidly explore down there, parting folds teasingly.

"I wonder, did you leave little puddles of your arousal in your office? Did you think of touching yourself there? Fucking yourself but wishing it was me under your fancy office desk sucking you off? Or me bending you over your desk, fucking you hard with my fake cock?"

Regina shudders and her eyes flutter shut. "Just take me already. I can't wait."

But Emma is not going to easily comply. "First tell me about how many times you got yourself off today to thoughts of me."

Fingers teasingly brush over Regina's clit and the woman shudders again, wanting. Her hands grip the counter. "I didn't. My orgasms are yours," Regina admitted in a shaking voice.

Emma is pleased by this. "Good girl. You've learned well." And for that she rewards Regina by sliding one finger into her. It's not enough, given the way Regina grinds down greedily on that one finger.

The glint of the discarded knife in the kitchen lights gives Emma an idea. She reaches for it. It's a small knife but it should do the job. "Color?" she asks when she flashes it at Regina.

"Green," Regina says without hesitation not even pausing to ask Emma why she's going to use it, or how. She trusts her like that while they play. But are they playing right now? Emma honestly can't tell. There's no use of the word mistress yet Emma is dominating and Regina is pliant. The lines have blurred too far and that is why Emma is thankful today is their last session together. She needs a clean break, but first, she's going to make sure she pulls out all the stops for Regina, makes this a memorable night for sure.

Sliding the knife under the first button of Regina's blouse she begins to rip them off. They clatter to the floor. "Be careful," Emma warns as she slides another finger and then a third into Regina who bucks with the additional touch. "Knives are sharp and I don't want to hurt you. Keep still." And to make it harder she pumps in and out of Regina in powerful thrusts that rock her back against Emma's body.

"Fuck," Regina grits out as she clenches her teeth, trying hard not to squirm. "This is impossible."

"Not if you try hard enough," Emma mentions and licks a path down the side of Regina's neck as the knife removes the fifth button on Regina's shirt. Regina's hands scramble on the surface of the counter in an effort to control herself. Her chest heaves up and down, delicious skin getting revealed inch by tantalizing inch.

At last the last button was freed, shirt sides falling apart and Emma used the flat side of the knife to slide it up Regina's stomach. The woman hissed at the cold metal on heated flesh and let out another hiss when the knife cut right through the front of her bra with a loud snap letting her breasts become revealed.

Emma really hoped that wasn't an expensive bra, but it was too late for that now.

She kept the knife whispering across Regina's skin, making sure to keep the pointed tip away from doing any damage. Regina was trying her damnedest to hold in her thrashing, muscles going stiff as she fought back the impending orgasm.

Emma gave a small chuckle, relishing in the control she had over Regina. She did love how much control she had over the mayor who normally never broke. Emma would never get tired of this. But, she figured she had tormented Regina enough. She put the knife aside and kissed her pet on the side of her neck. "You can come whenever you feel like now."

She knew she was being generous but she owned it, since it was their last session together. She began to move her fingers faster and harder and Regina's breathing increased as she bit her bottom lip, her eyes fluttering and then she was cumming, dripping all over Emma's hand.

Emma moved her fingers slowly inside of Regina, letting the woman calm down a bit before they continued.

Emma was going to do something she rarely ever did for customers, and something she had not yet done with Regina.

"I'm going to eat you out. Be a good girl and spread your legs."

Emma relished in the physical effect those words had on Regina. A heavy shudder went through her body and her eyes fluttered shut as her lips fell open. "Fuck," was the sibilant gasp that made it out of there as she hopped onto the counter without wasting another second, pushing aside the cutting board and knife and spread her legs. Emma jerked down her skirt in viciously tugs down Regina's legs and let it pool on the ground, then running her hands on the smooth skin of Regina's trembling thighs. The woman's eyes were lidded and cheeks flushed bright red. Emma took in her look, ducking in to kiss her down the neck.

The both of them knew what a special occasion this was going to be. For Emma to service her pet much less get down on her knees for her. "Aren't you going to thank me?" Emma said, brow arched.

"Yes, thank you. Thank you so much," Regina began as Emma lowered herself to her knees.

"Don't stop," Emma warned as she slowly got closer, blowing air right onto Regina's slit.

Regina's breath hitched at this but she didn't stop. "Thank you for doing this, for- fuck-thank y-you- I-ah," Regina began to babble as Emma finally parted her folds with her tongue. She did shallow dips of her tongue inside before letting it flick out. Regina tasted incredible. Not too salty but not too sweet either. And the way she shook- delicious in it's own way.

Emma continued to do light touches before she flattened her tongue and ran it from bottom to top. At this Regina's hands dove into Emma's hair as if she could ground herself better that way. Looking up from her spot on the floor, Emma could see Regina's head had dropped back and her thank you's were nothing but half silent movements of her lips as her chest heaved up and down.

Emma wanted to see her fall apart more, so she lightly sucked on Regina's clit. That proved to be Regina's undoing, the woman cumming quickly and intensely.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," escaped her lips, each curse accompanied with small hip thrusts into Emma's mouth, dripping all down the blonde's chin. Emma found that erotic as all hell and endeavored to see that again.

So she tongue fucked Regina into her second orgasm and her third which followed easily from her first one. Her back arched each time she orgasmed and she let out loud cries which she had to silence by shoving a hand into her mouth and biting down hard on her knuckles.

Fuck. Emma loved how she looked when she was over come with ecstasy.

Now, it was time to make the rest of the evening special.

* * *

When Regina leaves that evening, the evening of their last session, Emma texts her boss that she needs to talk to them. And then, she spends the rest of the night looking up at the ceiling in her dark bedroom, unsure of what the hell she is doing, but knowing it needs to be done.

"You're going on break?" Ursula asks, arching his brow up at Emma's demand when the blonde shuffles into his office the following day.

"Yea, I just need a small break." Emma shrugs, tries to act casual. Ursula arches his brow, knowing something is up.

"A month isn't a small break! The hell, Swan! You know this is our busiest season coming up." Her boss is not happy which was to be predicted but honestly, Emma was itching to be out of this city. She needed to be gone. The last chain holding her back was resolved. With her sessions with Regina concluded, she could go off and be free.

"I know, and I'll work my ass off when I come back, but I just...I'm not in a good place mentally." Emma mumbles this, kicks her foot a little against the floor. She feels bad for suddenly needing to run out, but not bad enough to stay.

Concern immediately fills his eyes. "What happened sweetie?"

Emma shakes her head. "Just...I don't wanna talk about it," she said, clapping her hands in an and that's done motion. "Look, I finished all my sessions with the mayor, which was the important part because she's like a super important client and now she'll be able to be transferred over to someone else."

Ursula arched a brow at this. "Huh, you really don't like working with her, do you?"

Emma had the opposite of that problem but she didn't have the heart to say it. "And maybe I won't even be gone a month. Maybe I'll get my shit sorted before then."

Ursula's lips twist up; he knows self medicated methods all too well. "Just don't drink yourself to death."

"I won't. I don't even hit the bottle like I used to," Emma comments. Besides, no amount of alcohol can save her now.

"Alright, alright," he waved his hand at her. "You have my blessing. Now get out here before I change my mind."

"Thanks. Really." Emma smiles and breathes a sigh of relief as she rushes out of there. Her bags are already packed so all she has left to do is hop in the car and drive there. She glances quickly at the print out directions of the address Dorthy sent her. It was time to visit her and have some fun in terms of girls night out.

* * *

"Hey girl! Long time no see!" Dorthy greeted, pulling Emma towards her in a tight hug. They haven't seen each other since the trip and now Emma's at the model's place which is in the middle of nowhere Kansas. It had been a long ride. A long, winding ride, in which Emma had gotten lost several times and had to even sleep in her car overnight because she couldn't find room at a motel.

"I know. I figured it was time I said hi, saw where you lived, that sort of thing," Emma said, hugging back. It felt nice to hang out with someone who was detached from her current situation. Miles away from it actually.

"I'm afraid it isn't much," the model pulled away from the hug. "But we don't have to stay here. We can drive over to some nearby cities and check them out."

"Honestly, I don't mind. I just need something to keep my mind off of things."

"Come in. Meet my uncle and aunt. And my dog, Toto," Dorthy added as the white small dog came up with a happy bark to inspect Emma.

She bent down to pet him. "I can't believe you actually named him Toto."

"I couldn't resist. I mean, look at my name and where I live. Only makes sense," she explained and led Emma into the house, the blonde lugging behind her her one bag of belonging for this trip.

She was going to stay here as long as she could and then head out back home, where hopefully the ache of what happened was gone by then. "I hope you've got some strong stuff." She commented to the back of the model's head.

"You bet I do," Dorthy said. "I'm not planning on either of us being sober too long for when you're around here." She looked back at Emma; took in the harsh lines of her face. "You look like you need it."

"How can you tell?" Emma asked, Toto following behind her with his tail wagging happily.

Dorthy gave a wry smile. "I just can. It's a place we've all been at some point or another."

* * *

True to Dorthy's word, Emma doesn't spend much time being sober with her model friend. She doesn't mind, because she honestly forgets all about Regina and her job back home and the mess waiting for her there.

And they have a hell of a time too. Emma remembers what it's like to be young and to go off the handle. She and Dorthy hit the clubs hard, dancing, drinking, and hooking up with whomever and whoever. Emma struggles to keep up but she doesn't want Dorthy to see that. Because Emma wants to keep up with her, has to keep up with her so as to forget about her home town.

Zelena calls her a couple of times, so does Mulan and Ruby, but Emma ignores their calls and their text messages because she doesn't need their concern or their questions. Emma even gets an unsaved number calling her which makes her heart leap in her chest because could it be Regina? And why the hell would the woman being calling her?

But she only pushes those ideas away with another shot glass.

Dorthy has a lot of free time when she's not out modeling, and she calls over a few friends and they come and liven things up even more. Emma thinks her liver might fail her at some point but she just shrugs off the worry and continues. She knows this behavior isn't stellar. It's terrible, actually, but she's an adult and she'll handle her problems how she god damn pleases.

And it that's through partying all night long and waking up with glitter in places that don't belong, then that's her choice.

She does look like shit though, looking in the mirror finds her with heavy bags under her eyes and flat hair, and pale skin. She's lost weight from all the drinking and partying and not eating properly. She'll have to use a lot more makeup to cover this up when she comes back to work, but for now she doesn't worry about it. She's surprised that Dorthy manages to still glow when their long nights are over but maybe it's because she's about ten years younger and has more years to go before the toll of it all falls on her.

In this manner, a whole month passes for Emma.

It isn't until her Iphone is blaring at her a reminder that she has to go tomorrow that everything comes crushing down on her and she groans and hangs her head off the rim of the toilet, her hangover suddenly having nothing to do with the alcohol she consumed last night.

"You alright in there Swan?" Dorthy asks, sounding chipper despite her downing about twice as much as Emma. Ah, youth. Emma's getting too old for this shit.

Sometimes, she just wishes she could curl up into a ball and not have to deal with the world anymore.

But, she wipes the back of her hand across her mouth and gets up, because she has to deal with the mess she's made.

"Yea, I'm fine," she flushes the toilet and stands up to the mirror, trying to firstly fix her face before she goes back.

* * *

"Where the hell have you been for a whole month?!" Regina demands, angrily coming up to Emma. Regina's in Emma's apartment- which is so not cool because Emma's driven all the back up here and it was a hell of a long ride and she just wants to sleep- and her eyes are a bit red rimmed, either from the chilly wind outside or from crying. But why would the mayor be crying over her?

"Uh, with a friend?" Emma says, shutting the door behind her but the chill that has been brought outside by the cool fall weather has not left. In fact, it only seems to get chillier inside.

"And you couldn't say anything?" Regina is storming on her, stopping an inch from her face as Emma leans back, not expecting this to be the mayor's reaction. She had expected the mayor to be pleased by this, by having Emma gone.

"I wasn't aware I had to inform you of what I was doing. That's none of your business." Emma says coolly.

When Regina opened her mouth, no doubt to argue that it was, Emma refuted her. "You have no right to know, you're not anything to me anymore."

Regina narrows her eyes and a soft gasp exits her throat as those heavy words hit her. The anger visibly deflates from her and it feels nice to see the mayor hurting like she has hurt Emma. Emma powers on. "Our sessions are done. You don't have to associate with me anymore. You don't have to worry about me messing up anything for you. No more trysts on the beach, no more hiding secrets from Robin, no more Zelena pushing us together." She spreads out her hands, shrugging free of this. But even as she tries to act casual, detached, she's not. And she's aware of each inch she is pushing between her and Regina.

But if she thinks it'll push Regina away, she's wrong this time. Something has changed in the one month she's gone, because the mayor doesn't back down, she only steps up. "I wouldn't be so sure." And then she shoves past Emma, to the door, grabbing her coat angrily and slamming the door shut.

 **A/N: Didn't include the entirety of the last session because I wanted to leave it sort of private and special between the two characters.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Adrenalize Me**

* * *

 _You drive me drive me crazy_  
 _Can't think my thoughts are hazy_  
 _This feeling is amazing_  
 _You always drive me drive me crazy_

 _-Maruv-_

* * *

"Emma..."

The ringing of her cell phone is what wakes Emma up the next morning. A cool bleak morning in which she had cried herself to sleep after her argument with Regina last night.

"Hello?" she picks it up with no real enthusiasm but also with no spite. She just feels drained, and also, her body is still hating her for her clubbing sessions with Dorthy and is still trying to repair itself.

A long heavy sigh on the other end. "Look, I don't quite know how to say this..." Ursula trails off and Emma sits up, concerned. "You're not firing me, are you? I just got back and I was going to go into work tomorrow evening and sweat my ass off for you." Her heart thumps in her chest.

"No, it's not that. Though...it might as well be." Regret is laced in her boss's voice.

Emma's heart beats harder. "The fuck do you mean?"

"Emma, I think you should come into work. The mayor's done something crazy," Ursula says. "And it would be easier to explain things to you in person rather than over the phone."

Emma swallows hard. "I'll be there." She angrily ends the call, wishing this was a regular phone so that she could just slam it down in anger. Instead, she jerks out of bed and slides on her clothes, barely brushing her hair before she's out and in her car, driving to work with a mix of dread and choler. What did Regina do now? Did she expose Emma? But Emma had already exposed herself. What more could be done?

Emma pulls in and exits the car, finding Ursula standing on the doorstep, smoking and arms crossed over his chest as he waited for her.

"What the fuck is going on?" is the first thing out of her mouth when she sees the dour expression on Ursula's face.

He sighs, a look of regret on his face.

"She bought you."

Emma doesn't react for a good couple of seconds because the incredulity of the statement takes some time to sink in. She sputters, trying to find her tongue. "Bought me? The fuck am I? Property, that she can just do that!"

"She bought out your services," Ursula says in a low voice, blocking Emma from coming inside the establishment. A man crossing on the street stares at them, before the pitch of Emma's voice causes him to scurry away fast.

"And?" Emma shrills.

"Technically you are no longer employed here." Ursula handed her an envelope, an apologetic look on his face. "I couldn't do anything. She threatened to shut us down if I did. This is your cash payment in advance and that's your termination slip." He shifted guilty eyes away. "I'm sorry."

Emma's hand shakes on the envelope and she wants to hurl it away in rage. Hurl away the filthy money she's been bought out with. She cannot believe this. She _cannot_.

She squeezes her eyes shut tight as if this will erase any of what has happened. It doesn't, sadly.

"Emma, what happened between you and the mayor?" Ursula asked delicately as he watched the blonde struggling with her barely veiled emotions. But Emma can't hear him. She's got her heart thumping in her ears and adrenaline racing through her veins. She stomps off, all of her laser sharp focuse on getting to Regina and...and...giving her a piece of her mind!

"Emma. Emma!" Ursula called from the doorway. "Don't do something stupid."

"I already did," Emma shot back, because she'd done the mayor, the mayor who had just done something incredibly stupid. Emma slammed the door to her car shut, tore out of the driveway with a screech of wheels, and drove to Regina's mansion.

There was no way she was going down without a fight.

She barely remembers to park her car when she pulls up in front of Regina's mansion. She takes the stairs two at a time, knocks on the door until her knuckles turn red. Robin opens it a second later, confused by the abrasive pounding.

"E-"

Emma doesn't wait, just pushes past him roughly. "Where's Regina?" she asks brusquely. Rudely, even. He looks confused by her behavior.

"Upstairs. But she's taking a call-"

Emma doesn't wait to finish hearing what he has to say. She rushes up the stairs, going right for Regina's bedroom. She slams the door open and Regina turns on her heel from how she was pacing around the room. She's dressed impeccably, in a tailored pantsuit with tasteful pinstripes. Normally, an outfit like that would have Emma drooling and wanting to disrobe the mayor. However, this isn't enough to distract Emma from how angry she is.

"I'll call you back," Regina says slowly as she takes in Emma's panting and enraged form. If she is worried, or at all regretful about this, she doesn't show. In fact, she's got a mask on. One of smug gloating. It only pisses Emma off more as the mayor ends her call.

Before either of them can speak, Robin is there, looking worriedly at them. "Is everything-"

"Leave us," Regina says imperiously, not even bothering to look at him.

"Are you-"

"I need some privacy for this business between me and miss Swan," in the same tone of reply.

He nods his head and walks away. Emma has some common sense to close the door behind him before she starts in on Regina.

"What the fuck is this, Regina?" Emma asks as she tosses the manila envelope on the bed between them.

Regina side eyes it, arms crossed over her chest. "I believe that is called money."

"I don't have time for you to be a smart ass with me right now," Emma shrills out. "Did you seriously buy me out from Ursula? What the fuck are you trying to accomplish with this? You want me to be your sex slave? What, what the hell is going through your brain right now?" Emma is livid. Flushed with it. And she shakes.

She has never felt this out of control before. Meanwhile Regina is calm. Still. Shrinking maybe even under the realization of what she did. "I wasn't thinking," she lets out at last.

"Obviously!" Emma spits out.

"Let me finish," Regina cuts in, eyes flashing. She's so cool and collected. But perhaps she truly is a politician, because they always were primed to deal with the worst situations and this indeed was a terrible one.

Emma suffers back her need to explode and waits impatiently for Regina to continue. "I was upset at you. So upset. Without a word, you cut off our wonderful play sessions and left me out in the cold. No explanation, no warning. So when you came back, I, in my own twisted way of possession, wanted to prevent you from ever leaving me again. But...it was a wrong thing to do. So wrong. I used my mayoral power over Ursula to twist things into my liking and I shouldn't have done that. I was just so upset and hurting..." she trailed off, voice rough.

"And what did it matter to you that I was gone," Emma hissed lowly. "I was just another sex worker to you. I wasn't important to you, but you were important to me."

"Emma, I-" Regina's eyes widened at this.

"I love you, Regina," Emma confesses and it doesn't make her feel any better to say this. She thought it would take a weight off. Make it easier to live with this. But she feels the same. If anything, it hurts more, this awareness that she loves the mayor. "And what you've done really hurts me."

"Oh," is all the mayor can say for now. Her face melts into shock, into softness. Her eyes glimmer with emotion. "Emma..." she takes a step forward, as if wanting to reach out for her. Wanting to comfort her.

"I know you- I know this doesn't fucking matter to you," Emma insists and her voice is choked tight with tears. She can feel them press back on her eyes, wanting to come out. "But I just- it matters to _me_. And I can't keep this charade up between us. I can't continue being with you when I can't _be_ with you. And I'm not selfish enough to ask you to give up your fake relationship with Robin, or your job, just for me. But god, sometimes I wish I could ask that of you." She rubs an angry hand over her eyes because the tears are coming out, even if she doesn't want them too. "That's why I stopped the sessions. That's why I left town. To be away from you and my feelings for you."

Regina obviously wasn't excepting such a reaction from Emma. For the blonde to bear her emotions out like this. This time she does come closer to Emma, cradling the woman to her chest whose openly sobbing now despite her intentions to stop. Her hands clench into Regina's lapels, tears soaking her no doubt expensive blouse.

"I'm...I'm sorry," Regina's words are so low they might as well be a hum. "I'm not good with relationships. With..." she gives up, unable to find the words she wants. She directs Emma's face to hers, pressing a kiss to her forehead. It's such a caring gesture and it only breaks Emma down more. She knows she looks a mess; is acting like a mess. But she can't stop it.

All those months of feelings, pouring out. Regina cradles her cheeks in her hands, studying her face with a worried expression. "Emma, I'm in love with you."

The quiet statement rips right into Emma. Clenches her beating heart hard. "You...you are?" she sobs questioningly. It's almost a dream to hear those words.

"Mhm," Regina nods, bites her bottom lip shyly like she'll get scolded for admitting such things. "I just didn't want to admit it to myself. But...I can't hide my feelings anymore. And it was stupid of me to try and buy you out just so I could continue being in denial. Continue this facade we had. Continue hurting you." She shakes her head. "I'm...I'm a coward. And I have always been for the longest time. For too long I was afraid of my mother. Even now, when I thought I had finally rebelled against her, I never truly had. Because I'm still scared of all this. Of being gay. Of being with you. Of loving you."

"You don't have to be. You don't have to come out. I don't- my intention was never to pressure you into anything. I just wanted you to know-" Emma stammers out, her cries quieting down a bit now. Regina's words were doing a lot to soothe her. To fill that gaping hole in her heart.

"It's alright," Regina soothes. "For now, let's not think about that. I just...I just want to be with you," soft words paired with such a soft expression, it made Emma's heart flutter. She allowed Regina to hold her until her crying subsided and then, Regina wiped her tears away with almost marvel at how amazing it felt to openly hold Emma like this, when not in a session with her.

"Can I kiss you?" she asked tentatively and uncertainly.

"Of course," Emma half laughed, a wet laugh, because she had just finished crying.

Regina smiled shyly and leaned in, pressing her lips gently to Emma's like she could break her. It was a kiss unlike any other they had shared, and it made Emma feel alive. Regina pulled back, hands still cradling Emma's face to hers. "I fell for you before I knew it and when I did finally realize my feelings they scared me. Because I thought everything I had so carefully built up- my public image, my persona, my job and my relationship with Robin- would fall apart. And I couldn't afford that because of pleasing my mother. But...I don't care anymore. That month you were gone I was so miserable. I almost sent out police looking for you but I figured you wouldn't like that. But I was so tempted to do it because it was one of the more miserable months of my life.

"And now...now I want everything I have to be destroyed," she finished, a fire of determination brewing in her eyes.

"Regina, like I said-"

"I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for me." She stepped away, went to look out the window. "I never wanted to be a politician. I only did it so to please my mother who said I was perfect for this field. And I never wanted to be in a straight relationship. I'm not even straight." A small depreciative chuckle at this.

"What do you really want, Regina?" Emma asked.

"I want a nice life. On a ranch. Tending horses perhaps. And with you by my side if you'll have me."

"Of course," Emma breathed out. After all this time, how could she say no when the thing she wanted most was being offered up to her.

"I just...I just need some time," Regina closed her eyes, brow furrowing up with the weight of everything that had to be done. "I have so many loose ends to tie up. But my term ends this year, Emma. Can you wait? I know it's an incredibly selfish thing to ask-"

"I can wait," Emma assures, coming up and squeezing Regina on the shoulder in comfort. "I've waited this long for your hard ass to come around, I can wait some more."

Regina smiles at Emma's levity. "I want to come out to people too. Robin, I think, should be the first to know. Because if I'm going to be in a relationship with you-" at this her breath hitches and Emma squeezes down on her shoulder again.

"I'm not forcing you to be in one. If you're not ready-"

"I want to be ready. I've wasted all this time, lying to myself, trying to please my mother. And what has it given me? Nothing but misery in my life. I don't even like this town."

"Take as much time as you need, Regina. Just please, don't shut me out. I couldn't stand that," Emma pleaded.

Regina nodded her head, meeting gazes with Emma in the combined reflection in the window.

* * *

A week passes after that faithful encounter. Regina retracts her previous actions at Ursula's club and Emma is back in business, working her ass off for her customers. Everything feels just a bit off, however, because now that she knows Regina wants to be involved with her, should she really continue to work here? She is good at this job, and it's all she's pretty much known since forever. This club and the girls here are her family more or less.

All she knows is she will have to make a decision regarding this. Just not now. Not until everything with Regina is figured out.

When Emma had come back after the whole debacle, Ursula had raised a brow and demanded to know what was going on. Emma had winced in having this brought up. She has no right to out Regina, but also, what could she tell her boss?

She shrugged, figured Regina could take the heat for this. She had been the one to start this mess after all. "I don't know. Talk it out with her. I'm too pissed off to think about it anymore. Just set me up with some man who won't mind me being extra harsh today."

Ursula hmphed but did as asked, no doubt about to call Regina after he set Emma up. Emma wondered what Regina would say to this. But Emma wasn't going to clean up messes for others. That wasn't her job and neither did Regina deserve it for doing such a dumb ass thing in the first place.

So, while Emma waits for Regina to come out on her terms, Emma just works and works and tries not to call Regina or even Zelena. Though Zelena leaves her a bunch of messages on her phone.

Messages asking about Regina because apparently the woman is behaving erratically.

Emma figures Regina can deal with Zelena. It's not like Zelena doesn't know about Regina being gay anyways.

It's on Sunday afternoon as Emma's watching TV, that there's a knock on her door. She goes to open it, hoping it's not Zelena because she is no mood for shenanigans. Except, when she opens it up, it's Regina on the other end. Wearing layers to keep her face hidden.

"Hi," she says shyly and Emma smiles, letting her in. Regina goes in, not shedding her clothes. This must be a brief meeting then. About what, Emma wonders. Regina opens her mouth to speak but closes it when the words won't come out.

Emma waits for Regina to speak. She can tell the mayor is nervous, so she doesn't press her. Just let's her take her time. Regina twists the gloves in her hand. Bites her bottom lip before she straightens up and resolves herself to get through this.

"Emma, I can't do this."

Emma's stomach fell down at the admission.

"Regina..." she breathed out, tried to pull up some understanding.

"Emma, I can't do this alone," Regina quickly filled in. "I need you there by my side."

Emma lets out a breath of relief she has been holding. Oh. Okay. This she can manage. "You want me there when you come out?"

Regina nods her head. "I want you there when I come out to Robin. I can't...I don't think I can do it on my own."

Emma considers this. "How much are we going to tell him?"

"Everything," Regina whispers. "I owe him that in the least. I don't want him finding out from anyone else."

Emma could see this going badly. She could _taste_ it going badly. "He wouldn't find out from anyone else because no one-"

Regina shakes her head. "No. He deserves to know how shitty of a person I have been to him."

"Alright," Emma said with a tired breath. She would mentally prepare herself for the worst. "When do you want to do this?"

"Today?" Regina asked questioningly. "The sooner the better."

"But when you break up with him, what are you going to do?"

"I'm keeping the house. It's mine. He's free to go wherever he wants."

"What about...what about the fallout?"

Regina's lips twist up. "It'll be for the best. If he goes to the news, then my infidelity will be out there and my reputation ruined and I'll never be able to run for office again."

"Are you sure?" Emma asks, because this is a lot to do and not be able to turn back from. Will their relationship be worth everything they are sacrificing?

"Yes," Regina says confidently. "It's time I finally did something for myself. That I finally get the life I should have not the life I don't want." She raises her chin in a show of bravado.

Emma nods her head in understanding. "Let me just dress up a bit. I don't wanna enter a confrontation in sweats and an old tank top." She needs armor; whatever boost she can get to get through this.

Emma rushes over to change clothes, her hands shaking a bit. God, this isn't even about her coming out but she's nervous. Nervous to see Robin's reaction. Whatever happens, he will not react nicely. There will be screaming, hurt feelings, and tears. And she feels terrible already for doing this to him. But it was better to let him go rather than keep him there just to hurt him. It would be painful for all involved, especially him, but surely he would see the benefit of not continuing this.

When she's done changing, she meets Regina outside the door and the mayor leads them to her car and they drive over to the mansion. "How are you holding up?" Emma prods gently.

"Surprisingly well," Regina says, voice even. "I just have to think of myself as a terrible person and of this break up as a nice service to Robin. And then, it hurts a little less."

"You're not scared?"

"Well, that's what you're here for, dear," Regina says affectionately.

The car is parked and Regina is marching up to the mansion, back straight, head up. Emma follows like her shadow, anxious on what will happen.

They enter, finding Robin inside the manor, reading a newspaper on the armchair. He looks so at peace and so content. Emma feels for the pain they're about to cause him. "Robin, I need to talk to you," Regina starts in a no nonsense tone of voice. He glances up at her and when she sees her grim expression he seems to blanch a bit. "What happened?" he asks. "Is it something with the political office-"

"No," she cautions and he sits back down from how he was halfway up from the seat. "No, this is about me, Robin. And I know, you're going to hate me for what happened and I'm sorry it did. But I can't keep doing this."

He tries to reach out for Regina's hand. "Regina, I could never hate you-"

"You should," she interjects, taking a step back so she won't touch her. She doesn't deserve this loving touch.

His eyes skip over to Emma, noticing for the first time she is here, before flicking over uncertainly to Regina. "Alright, what is going on?" he asks at last, visibly gearing up to hear the bad news.

Regina takes a deep breath before looking over at Emma for mutual support. "I've been cheating on you Robin. With Emma."

There is silence as he sits there, processing this. He doesn't seem to know what to make of it. Of which part of the statement is worse. "What?" he utters out at last, looking so very lost. "You cheated on me- with Emma?"

Now he looked at Emma, seeing her in another light. "Why?"

"Because I'm gay, Robin. And I've been living a lie," Regina continues. "My mother wanted me to live the life she choose for me. She wanted me to be a politician. She wanted me to be straight. And I tried to give all that to her, but I can't do it anymore. It's tearing me apart to do this and you got caught in the middle of this and I don't want to drag this charade out any longer. I want to break up with you so you don't have to suffer me being unfaithful anymore. You didn't deserve me being shitty to you. You're too good for that, and truly I am sorry for ever doing that to you behind your back when you didn't deserve any of it."

Robin's jaw dropped open and he looked to be fighting for words. "Was it because I wasn't man enough for you? And she was?" Poor Robin didn't seem to understand what being gay meant.

Regina shakes her head sadly. "No, it's because you were too man enough for me. And she wasn't."

He turned hurt eyes to Emma now. "You pretended to be her friend, this whole time. Pretended nothing was going right in front of me, this whole time!" he began to get louder, and his fist hit the arm of the chair he was sat on. Both women startled a bit and Emma took a step closer to Regina, in case he thought of hurting her.

"I'm a sex worker, Robin," Emma calmly states. "It's kind of what I do."

"I can't believe it," he mumbled, more to himself. "I feel like an enormous dumb ass right now." Then he asked them, "how long has this been going on?"

"More than a year," Regina says without hesitation. "It wasn't meant to become anymore than this. I was only supposed to go to Emma's sessions for relief, so I could keep up my straight charade. But then one thing lead to the next and I fell for her. And now, I don't want to continue living a false life."

"And what, you're giving up your job, your reputation, all for some whore!" he got up now, vacillating between anger and sadness.

Before Emma can defend her own virtues, Regina does it for her. "She is not a whore!"

"She spreads her legs for anyone!" he countered angrily. "And you just want to live with her? She's disgusting! You could have picked anyone else to fall in love and yet you fall for the whore. You're such a damned cliché that you sicken me too!" he raged on. "I knew something was up with you Regina. You've been secretive, withdrawn, and moody for a while now. I had a hunch you might be carrying out an affair; after all, isn't that what politicians do best next to lying and breaking their promises? But I always thought maybe I was imagining things, because you surely weren't like that. But you are, and the worst part isn't the affair, it's that at least I thought you would have more class than picking someone like her!" he jabbed a finger at Emma who clenched her jaw. She guessed she deserved this barrage of insults. She had fucked up Robin's relationship.

"Don't you dare take this out on her!" Regina shrilled out, loosing that cool she had been carrying. "She has nothing to do with my actions-"

"Oh, she has everything to do with them! She came in between us. She ruined what we had!"

"What we had was always going to be ruined, Robin!" Regina said with a hint of exasperation. "Because I'm a fucking lesbian! And I was only with you for show. I'm sorry, but it's true," she added more softly when she could see the tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.

"So what we had meant nothing to you?" he asked in a hoarse voice, hand over his mouth.

"I care for you as a person. But romantically, I wasn't there," she shook her head.

He stood there a moment, before rushing out. The door slammed as he left and Regina and Emma were left standing in silence. "That went better than I had hoped," Regina admitted. "Thank you for being here." She gave Emma a grateful smile that Emma couldn't return.

"There's no telling how he'll react now," Emma said. "What if he does something crazy?"

"Then let him, he has every right to after what I did to him," Regina sighed out and went to her cabinet to pour two glasses of wine for themselves. Emma eagerly took the offered one and chugged it. They had no idea what would happen now, especially with Robin being so emotional and rightfully so. But Emma couldn't help keep hoping it would all work out well.

 **A/N: In this story, it's been roughly about two years since Emma and Regina first met.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Adrenalize Me**

* * *

 _I'll always be by your side, darling_  
 _You're the best thing in my life, darling_  
 _I won't tell nothing new, whatever_  
 _My heart belongs to you, forever_

 _I can't get enough of you,_  
 _You are my drug,_

 _-Drug, Lucky Luke-_

* * *

"Emma, what is this?" Regina asked cautiously as she entered Emma's apartment, finding it dark and with candles lighting up the dining room. The table had a red table cloth on it and smells of freshly cooked food wafted out from the rarely used kitchen.

"I uh, figured after all that happened, you could use something nice," Emma said as she worked to open the bottle of wine. "And, we've never had a first date so I was hoping to give us one."

Regina melted at those words. "Emma..." she trailed off. "That's so sweet."

It was true. Regina could use some relaxing right now. The fall out with Robin had dragged and while he surprisingly hadn't gone to any news source to tell them about Regina's infidelity, there had been arguing over the house, over their assets, and over what to do next and how to come out to the public about them no longer being together.

She was stressed out, and work hadn't been any easier on her. Emma had wanted to do something nice for Regina after all. And despite all they've been through, they hadn't had a proper date. Just sex. Lots of good sex but still.

Emma wanted them to try something normal. Something plain for now. She poured the wine into the glasses and Regina took off her light jacket and sat down. Emma flicked on the radio on which soft jazz music began to play.

"Did you make this?" Regina asked, looking at the plate of rich pasta and vegetable sides.

"I did. I looked up some recipes and got healthy veggies cuz I know you love stuff like that," Emma said and Regina smiled. Emma had gone out of her way to do something nice for Regina, even cooking for her. It was nice to be cared for and thought about in this way. It had been a while since she'd had a nice home cooked meal that she hadn't made for herself.

Emma looked a bit less confident as she said the next part. "It might not taste that great but uh, I did try this recipe several times and this batch was the best tasting."

Regina let an amused smile quirk up her lips. "I appreciate this Emma. It's very nice."

The two of them sat down to eat, making light conversation. "Robin do anything dumb?"

"No, not yet. I don't think he has it in him to do something so low anyways as to expose me," Regina replied though her voice held an uncertainty to it.

"I sure hope he doesn't. Or else I'll have to handle it."

"Like you did with Lily?" Regina offered playfully.

Emma winced at the memory of this; of how she'd almost fucked everything up for Regina. "Uh, sorry-"

"I'm just teasing," Regina said, gently taking Emma's hand across the table and squeezing it.

"Oh, right," Emma nodded her head and shoveled more pasta into her mouth. "Did you know, Ruby's leaving?" she said, because she wasn't quite sure what they could talk about. She and Regina had never had the chance to actually talk to one another, on things that didn't involve their elicit relationship.

"That girl who was rude to me?" Regina arched up a brow playfully.

"Only because she cares for me," Emma input out of reflex.

"Why is she leaving?"

"She's going back to school so she can finish getting her degree, so that when she gets older, she can fall back on other things rather than her BDSM job."

"That's good for her. It's never too late to get an education. I'm surprised someone as young as her got the position at Unfortunate Souls."

"Ruby was in bad need of money. Ursula gave her a reception job at first, and then when Ruby got older and of age, he offered her an actual job as a mistress. He wouldn't let someone underage work for him."

"And how did you get the job?"

"Same. A need for money. And I was good at beating the shit out of people. Why not do it to those who enjoyed it, and who would pay me for it," Emma shrugged. It seemed their conversation would revolve around BDSM. Not that she minded. It seemed the both of them were comfortable in this topic and not yet sure of how to field onto the other topics that awaited them. Less kinky, topics of course. "How did you get into BDSM? If you don't mind me asking," Emma was curious as to how the mayor had discovered this path.

Regina took a long sip of her wine here, holding Emma in suspense. "I don't mind telling you," she said at last. "But you had better not laugh."

"Why not? Did you get smacked on the bottom as a kid by your parent and develop a taste for it?" Emma said with a half grin.

Regina rolled her eyes at Emma. "No, it wasn't like that. I just don't want you laughing at me because of how similar to Christian Gray's background it sounds."

"The guy from 50 shades of gray?" Emma supplied, even more intrigued by now. She hadn't read the books, but she'd heard about them. They depicted BDSM terribly and not at all realistically.

"Yes. In his back story he had an older woman, a friend of his mother, turn him into this world. It was the same for me," Regina admitted with a small twist of her lips to indicate her discomfort.

Emma didn't laugh. But she did find it amusing. "Really? A friend of your mother made you a sub?"

"Yes. Her name was Mallory and she had a ferocious temper. She liked to use it in the bedroom," Regina said.

Emma wondered how that had even all began. "Did she pursue you first?"

"It was more of a mutual thing. Mallory was bisexual. And I was still young and questioning my sexuality. I had a thing for her and she knew it and decided to make the most of it. She made me into her little sub and we had a lot of fun. It was all new and exciting for me so I eagerly tried it all. And then she broke my heart when she got married and moved away."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. She never treated what we had as a serious relationship. And I'm better off without her manipulating me into what she wanted," Regina concluded with a tinge of bitterness to her voice.

Emma felt bad for bringing this topic up so she tried to switch to something else. Their dinner was almost done and she wanted them to do something else on this date. Since Regina was still too scared to take their relationship out publicly, Emma was going to try her best to make this indoor date amazing. "What movie do you wanna watch?"

"Not 50 shades of gray," Regina retorted teasingly.

"Yea, no risk of that happening," Emma assured. "I rented out a bunch of different choices for us. I even got a history channel movie because I figured you politician types like watching boring things."

Regina scoffed. "I do not watch boring things like that. I enjoy action movies too."

"Sure," Emma wasn't entirely convinced. "Let me just clean the dishes and I'll pop in the most action of action movies ever to exist."

"Actually, Emma..." Regina started, leaning forwards with an intense expression on her face.

"Yea?" Emma asked, her heart suddenly beating loudly. Did Regina want to break up with them? Did she think this wouldn't work? Did she not like Emma the same as did before? All those doubts crowded Emma's mind in the second span after Regina spoke.

"I was thinking we could...have some fun," she cocked her head, her dark eyes glimmering.

"Oh. Oh!" Emma said when she got it. Her mouth went dry and her insides churned. "I didn't want to assume. It's only our first date. I wanted us to be casual. Without the whips for one night."

Regina shook her head, her dark curls bouncing around her shoulders. Her hair had gotten even longer recently, and Emma liked it. It made the mayor look softer. And it provided a great grip to pull on during sex.

"I want us to be together. Without all the play," Regina said earnestly. "I just want you."

Emma's insides quivered and melted at this all at once. "Okay," she said in a hoarse voice. "You can have me. All of me."

Regina rose quietly from the table and took Emma's hand in hers, drawing the blonde near to her body. Their lips parted as they kissed gently, just the press of lips on lips and nothing more for a long time.

The soft jazz music continued to play as their arms wrapped around their waists and rested there, the kiss drawing on for so long that when they pulled apart, they had to blink their eyes and remember where they were. Without words, Emma took Regina to the bedroom, and locked the door behind them.

Regina didn't waste any time. She began to pull off her suit jacket and unbutton her shirt. Emma did the same, till before long they were standing naked in front of each other. "This is the first I am seeing all of you," Regina whispered, reverence in her voice as she took in with hungry eyes every inch of Emma. From the slender but strong frame, to the slight hint of abs, to the white lines where she had scars from her adventures as a child. "And this will be the first time I can have all of you," Regina finished as her eyes flicked up to Emma's, the expression in them going straight to Emma's core. Emma shuddered.

She couldn't wait any longer. She lunged at Regina, lips first, their warm naked skin touching as they crashed down onto the bed. Hands roamed everywhere, grabbing flesh in fistfuls. Nails scrapped over sensitive skin. Their lips were ravenous, pillaging and plundering every ounce of passion from their mouths. They couldn't bother to be quiet, not when there was so much desire between them.

They rolled over on the sheets, Emma allowing Regina to come out on top. The mayor straddled Emma's hips, brushing some hair out of the way. She looked down at Emma, chest heaving with barely restrained emotion. There was love in her eyes and Emma wondered how she had never seen it before. All this affection that Regina carried for her.

Emma must have been really oblivious. Perhaps she should thank Zelena for pushing and pushing until they got here. Right now, Emma was going to focus all her energies on Regina and satisfying her. "You can be in control tonight," Emma spoke, relinquishing her armor. Letting Regina get underneath it. Her hands traced patterns up Regina's hips, feeling the warm skin rise with goosebumps at the touch. "You punish me or pleasure me."

Regina sucked in a breath, over come with this. "Fuck, Emma," she closed her eyes, tried to regain control of herself. When she opened them, they were all black and she leaned down to kiss Emma hard. Because giving up control was Emma's way of saying she loved Regina. That she wanted to be with her. That she trusted her enough to let down her walls. And Regina knew this. Because she too had walls, walls that she was crumbling down for Emma and for their newfound love.

They kissed like that for a long time. Deep, passionate and in an unhurried manner. Regina was intent on taking Emma the way she had longed for for the longest time. Slowly she lowered her body down over Emma's, hearing the pounding heart beat of her lover. Regina paused to pay attention to Emma's stiff nipples, laving them and biting gently down on them. Emma let out a wavering breath, hands twitching with the urge to push Regina's head down. But to hurry would be to ruin this moment between them, so she gripped the sheets instead, opening her legs wider.

Regina nibbled on the jutting hip bones, nails biting down into soft thigh flesh and peeling sticky legs apart. Teasingly slow, she pressed a kiss to Emma's soaked folds, nearly making the woman above her scream with impatience and pleasure. "Regina," Emma groaned out instead, biting down on her bottom lip. Regina chuckled into the folds, before dipping her tongue in and taking her time. She caressed, she sucked, she licked, all in such a toe curling manner that soon Emma was quivering above her, sweat beading down her back from the effort of the orgasm being built up.

And then, Regina bit down lightly on Emma's clit and blonde woman was screaming, jerking above her and cumming hard. Emma had never ever cum this hard before. It was such an out of world experience. Letting Regina even touch her freely like this, was amazing too. For too long Emma had restrained herself from being loved, from being touched and cherished, but Regina showed her, that despite all their harsh plays and harsh moments, Regina cared for her. When Emma could finally see, Regina hadn't pulled up from her thighs, instead sitting there and waiting for Emma to calm down, before without any preamble, shoving two fingers into her warm cunt.

Emma moaned at the motion, so sensitive. Her hips bucked up as Regina held one down, using the full force of her arm to penetrate Emma. "Shit. Fuck," Emma gasped out, loving how rough this now was. The soft moment had passed and neither of their hungers could be contained now. Emma pulled Regina's face to hers and began hard core making out with her while she humped Regina's hand with no grace. It wasn't long before Emma was coming again, this time Regina's mouth swallowing her moans.

And then, before Emma could even fully recover, she was pushing Regina to the sheets, sliding a thigh in between hers. Regina was soaked and she let out a happy whimper when Emma began grinding her thigh against her core. The brunette's hands latched onto Emma's hips, pulling her into her harder. "Rutting away like an animal. God, you are so filthy," Emma chuckled lowly into Regina's ear. She couldn't help it. Regina was hot as hell and it made Emma want to whisper dirty things into her ear all night long. As well as do said dirty things.

" _Emma_..." Regina groaned out, working her hips even harder to reach that fever pitch.

"But I don't mind. I'd keep fucking you all day and night long if I could," Emma confessed, sucking hard on Regina's pulse point, hard enough to bruise. Regina's breath hitched in the back of her throat and she came quickly, clamping her thighs around Emma's now soaked one. Tremors went through Regina's body, but Emma wasn't going to let her rest. Not yet.

During their play sessions, Emma had always had the joys of being able to tune Regina's body like an instrument. But she could never do it with the true care and want that lived inside her body, because it was only ever just a job. Now it wasn't. Now, Emma could give all of herself in the moment. She crawled down Regina's body, eager to taste her again. Emma had only done it once, because when in play it denoted that the mistress was relenting power if not done correctly. But, this wasn't play anymore. This was real.

This was their relationship.

"Ah, fuck," Regina gasped out when Emma flicked her tongue against the mayor's sensitive clit. But Emma wasn't going to go slow. She wanted to devour Regina. All of her. Her tongue danced wicked circles around Regina's clit, spreading her folds, dipping inside teasingly. Regina could not stay still above Emma. Or silent. Even though she tried. She stuffed her fist into her mouth to try and stem the desperate noises coming from her lips.

Emma just pressed in harder, hands holding down the brunette's hips. And then, she slid two fingers inside, it so wet and warm there. She curled them upwards and Regina was coming so hard her back arched up from the bed sheets. She was panting like she'd run a marathon while Emma softly licked up the remaining juices before coming back up. They sat on their haunches now, just looking at each other.

It was a while before they spoke, both trying to get over the rip roaring orgasms they'd given each other. "Your hair is a mess," Regina commented at last in a husky deep voice.

"And whose fault is that?" Emma teased, though she did run a hand through it to smooth it back. "Your hair still looks fine." And it did, a bit messy, but falling into place already. "I think I may have to adjust that."

Regina's eyes flashed at this and she was already reaching out for Emma. "I think you may," she said softly and then they were falling into each other once more.

* * *

Emma met up with Zelena over the weekend so the two of them could go shopping. Emma didn't need any shopping to be done, but Zelena had insisted she needed a buddy to help her pick out new dish towels.

That was about the most boring thing Emma could think of to do on a beautiful spring Saturday, but also, it was Zelena, so she'd probably make it interesting. They met up in a small mall outside of town, Zelena having already reduced a Bed, Bath and Beyond staff member into tears for carrying softer towels.

"If I wanted my skin scrapped off each time I wiped, I'd use bloody sandpaper!"

"Don't traumatize him, please," Emma begged, knowing it was too late anyways as the teen boy ran away, holding back his tears. "He's only in high school."

"Not my fault this younger generation is dumb. Just tell me when you have kids you'll raise them right."

Emma nearly choked on her saliva. "Zelena, I'm gay. Making kids involves a man. Men are what I'm not attracted to."

"If you really wanted a kid, that wouldn't stop you. There are other methods," she waved her hand dismissively. "I digress. What have you been up to? And don't lie, because I probably already know and will skin you for holding back the truth."

"If you know then why ask me to tell you?" Emma rolled her eyes. Zelena probably already knew about her and Regina, since Zelena did live with Regina and their secret relationship could have slipped out one way or the other.

"Regina and I are dating," Emma said, in a lower toned of voice, conscious to be respectful so no one else could over hear.

"Bloody hell! Finally!" Zelena exclaimed loudly. "The two of you were taking so long I thought my bloody ovaries were going to dry up from the lack of progress between the two of you."

Emma grimaced at the description. "Yea, well, we can't all be so freely expressive of our love."

"I'm just glad you told me. You know, I had my suspicions. Regina was acting all different and then I heard from her that she and Robin broke up and I knew things were going right on track. That's why I threatened Robin. Told him if he ever breathed a word of this to anyone, I would choke him with his own bollocks," she expressed.

Now Robin not saying anything certainly made a lot more sense. If Zelena could scare off Gold, then she could scare off pretty much anyone.

"Thank you for that, by the way," Emma said whole heartedly. "I'm sure Regina would have even more shit to deal with."

"It was no issue, really. My sister already is making huge strides by coming out. I want it be less stressful for her, not more. So I took care of extraneous other factors for her."

"And how are things with you and Mulan?" Emma asked.

"Good. We may be moving out soon."

This was shocking. "Really?" Emma's eyes opened wide. "Where?"

"Back to England. I've got my shop to tend to- I've left it off by itself for far too long. And Mulan has always wanted to travel."

"So is she quitting Unfortunate Souls?"

"Probably. Seeing as she's moving in with me for the time being."

Wow. Everything was changing so rapidly. So many girls leaving Ursula's place. He couldn't be happy to be losing several of his best doms at the same time. Because Emma too was thinking of quitting the trade. Why should she continue, when she had Regina? When all she could ever want to do was dom her and only her for the rest of her days?

Still, Emma hadn't quit yet, only because Regina's term wasn't done and they hadn't finalized their own move. That's right. They were moving out of Storybrooke and going to pursue Regina's true dream, leaving the political circus behind. As well as Regina's nasty mother. Speaking of which, Regina still had to tell her about her relationship and subsequent quitting of the political sphere.

That probably wouldn't go over well and something told Emma, not even Zelena would be able to manage the storm that came out from that.

"Also, I came here to say something to you," Emma started up, a bit nervous to bring this up. She shouldn't be, when there were no stakes.

Zelena turned to Emma, waiting expectantly.

"Thank you. I know you and I didn't see eye to eye on how to deal with this whole situation I have with Regina, but in the end, you pushed and pushed and got us together. So, thank you," Emma said earnestly.

Zelena snorted at this. "Is that all I get? A thank you? No, meal or here 'let me buy you a car for your fucking help'?"

"If I could afford a car, I wouldn't buy one for you first," Emma shot back, knowing Zelena was messing with her.

The red haired woman smiled. "I just want my sister to be happy. God knows she's suffered enough at our mother's hands for too long."

* * *

Unfortunate Souls was closed for the day. The reason being Ruby's going away party. Ursula had outdone himself in setting up something for Ruby and for Mulan, who also resigned about the same time. The place was decked out in neon lights. There was a lot of booze to go around and there was a whole buffet table at the back.

"Damn, you're really trying to put me out of business, aren't you?" he said, though he wiped away at a tear coming from his eye.

"I'll come back when I finish getting my degree," Ruby assured, though she too looked close to tears. Ursula had given her a job, taken her in when she was penniless and young and naive. He was like a parent figure to her. "And I'll call you and ask how everything is doing. Because I'll miss you."

Emma felt her own self go misty eyed at this. She was going to miss Ruby too, but she was proud of the girl for finally grasping life by the tits and going on to get that degree. This scene also reminded Emma that she would have to put Ursula through losing another valuable worker.

Mulan stood next to Emma, red solo cup in hand. "Ugh, I hate teary good byes. When Ursula comes looking for me, just tell him I left already."

"Mulan, you can't run away from your problems. It didn't work with Zelena and it won't work with Ursula," Emma said, taking a sip of her drink so she could blame her glassy eyes on the burn of the drink and not her feeling sad.

"Yea, but Zelena's crazy. Ursula's not."

Emma arched a brow at that.

"Okay, okay, but less crazy than my future wife."

"I still can't believe the two of you are getting married and moving all the way to England!" Emma exclaimed. "I'm going to miss the both of you."

"Don't worry, Zelena won't let you miss her for long. I already know she's got plans to make chaos in your life." Mulan chuckled a bit at this, which could not bond well for Emma. "She told me you and Regina got together," at this Mulan lowered her voice, careful that others did not hear about the private relationship. "And that she's coming to plan the wedding."

"Oh hell no," Emma cried out, already tasting the disaster waiting to happen. "She's not coming within fifty meters of my wedding!"

"Ah, but you want to marry Regina," Mulan smiled.

"Uh, I guess. I didn't really think about it. We're still in that unsure stage. Regina's going to have to deal with a lot when she finally comes out publicly or to her mother. And I'm not pushing her. Right now I'm just trying to focus on us keeping it all down low until she's ready and then we can make out big move."

Mulan wants to comment on this but she closes her mouth and ducks out of the way because Ursula has finished hugging and squeezing Ruby and is now running after Mulan to do the same. "You can't outrun me!" Ursula crowed out, chasing Mulan down the hall.

Some things would never change.

 **A/N: Fun little note- the chapters start with 'Swan' but as the story progresses and Emma's relationship with Regina changes, they begin to start with 'Emma' to denote this changing dynamic and how their relationship is now more intimate.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Adrenalize Me**

* * *

 _How dare she be so perfect_  
 _What did I do to deserve this?_  
 _I'll never let her go_

 _How dare she be so perfect_

 _-Perfect, Darkest Days-_

* * *

"Emma, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Emma questioned over the phone as she lay spread out on her couch, TV playing in the background. It was some action movie she couldn't bother to pay much attention to, not with her girlfriend on the line.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Because I don't mind showing up to support you."

"You've been more than amazing. But I think I need to face my mother on my own. It's about time," Regina stated with finality.

It had been about three months since Regina and Emma officially started dating. With Regina's political term drawing to an end soon, Regina was finally putting into motion her finalized plans. Which meant it was time for Emma to do the same because as soon as Regina was done, they were moving out. They already had a town and new place figured out.

"I'm proud of you," Emma states, with a small smile curling up her lips. "You've come a long way."

"Ah, don't praise me too early. I haven't talked to her yet," Regina dismisses. "I may just psyche myself out again."

"Then take Zelena, if you don't want me coming."

"Mother isn't scared of Zelena. There is little that frightens her," Regina said and there was a banging noise in the background. Regina was cooking and Emma's stomach rumbled. She loved Regina's cooking and wished she could be there to eat it but they needed to continue having these boundaries if only just for a little while longer. Emma couldn't wait until she was waking up to Regina's kisses and getting to sit next to her as they wound down in the evenings. "Even Zelena will stay away from our mother."

"Well then, good luck," Emma concluded on seeing that there was no point in dragging this conversation. It might only instill more fear in Regina and then prevent her from going to talk with her mother.

"Thank you," Regina said and the call ended.

Emma turns back to the TV.

She gets a call later in the afternoon tomorrow, just as she's coming back from the grocery store. She picks it up immediately, thinking it's from Regina and that it's news about her mother.

"Hello?" she asks eagerly.

"I've never heard you so happy to see my call," Zelena chirps on the other end. "I'm flattered."

Emma's cheeriness drops. "You. What do you want?"

"Ah, there's that rudeness I'm so used to," Zelena chimes in. "Were you expecting Regina?"

"I was, in fact," Emma hums, going to set her coffee pot. "She was supposed to go tell her mother whose in the hospital, she was quitting the political field today."

"This is actually related to that. I'm calling to tell you that Cora has had a heart attack."

Emma's eyes widened. "So Regina didn't tell her-"

"On the contrary, she did," Zelena confirms with mild amusement. "When I heard Regina was going to confess to the old hag on how she was too gay to be mayor in this shitty town, I threw away my fear and came to see the drama unfold."

Emma's gripping the phone tightly now, interested in what happens next. "And then what?"

"Well, I don't want to spoil all the good details- it is Regina's story to tell after all- but Cora didn't take it well. Worked herself up so much that she gave herself cardiac arrest."

"Is...is Cora dead?" Emma asked.

"No, she's one tough bitch. Even death doesn't want her."

Emma didn't want to wish ill on others but Cora had caused Regina and Zelena so much suffering. It was alright to have satisfaction just a little bit, to see Cora suffer for once. "But anyways," Zelena sings. "I've got packing to do."

"Right, you and Mulan are leaving." Emma not too long ago had said goodbye to Ruby and Belle, meeting with them to see them off. And it had been a bittersweet end. Because she was happy Ruby was going to get an education, and she was happy Bella had finally met someone she loved. But she was sad they had left and that she wouldn't be in such close contact with them.

Same with Mulan and Zelena. Though, Emma was certain Zelena would find one way or another to keep in touch.

There was a beeping on Emma's line, indicating that another call was going through. "I gotta go. I think Regina's calling me."

"See ya, Swan. You better come see me and Mulan off when we leave. I'm throwing a bash. Invite all your worker friends."

"I will," because if it was one thing Zelena was known for, it was her craziness. Which meant good parties. Emma ended the call with Zelena and then picked up the call from Regina. "So, how did it go?" she asked.

"It went...well, all things considered," Regina said, sounding a bit out of sorts.

"Zelena called me and told me some spoilers. Your mother really did not like the news you gave her, did she?" Emma asked, turning off the coffee pot and pouring herself a brew. She made sure to dump lots of sugar and milk into it.

"Of course she called you. Had to ruin even my own personal success story," Regina said with a soft sigh and rolled her eyes so hard Emma could almost hear it through the phone.

"We should celebrate your victory. Dinner on me? And then you can tell me all the juicy details then?"

"Absolutely," Regina assures.

* * *

Zelena's going away party is sort of nothing less than ridiculous. She's rented out a whole bar and outfitted it with green and orange decorations with an ice sculpture of her and Mulan smack dab right in the middle of it. Emma sees it, rolls her eyes, and decides she's going to miss Zelena. Even her meddling ways.

"I hope you know what you signed up for," Emma warns Mulan as Zelena drunkenly starts making out with the ice version of Mulan while a slow song plays over the speakers. "How is she even drunk yet? The party just started."

Mulan watches the scene, shaking her head and laughing at it. "She's hiding her feelings behind alcohol. She might not show it, but she's going to miss you and Regina and even this town."

"Really?" Emma pulls a long face. "Because I'm not going to miss this town." And Emma won't. Even though she's lived here for so long it doesn't hold any special meaning to her. She's ready to move on.

"What about Regina?"

"She's moving with me, so I'll literally have no one left here that I know. Other than Neal and Ursula." Neal knows already, as for Emma's boss...

"Who you haven't told?"

Emma winces and Mulan knows she's guessed right. "You have to tell him."

"I know. But it's hard to do so. I've known him for so long. He did so much for me. It feels like a disservice to leave."

"But you have to move on. You can't stay here forever," Mulan points out and what else she is going to say is lost when Zelena's ardent make out session with the ice sculpture causes the ice version of Mulan's head to fall off and shatter. Zelena drops to her knees and tries to gather the pieces back together once more. "Noooo," she wails, heartbroken. "Mulan don't do this to me! Come back to me!"

"I should probably get that," Mulan says and heads over to Zelena.

Emma turns and mingles with the assorted groups here. A lot of them are from Unfortunate Souls and Emma chats with them about work and how customers are going. Regina is supposed to show up but it was clear when Emma offered the invitation that Regina felt conflicted about it. "Won't they be...upset if I show up?" she'd questioned.

"Why would they be?" Emma asked. "You're my girlfriend and I want you there." She rubbed a hand down Regina's back as the two of them lay in bed.

"They don't know that so it'll be weird if I just show up."

"You don't have to come out and say you're my girlfriend. I'm not pushing you to do that. But you are Zelena's half sister, so you have every right to be there to see her off."

Regina made a noise of contemplation before turning to face Emma. "I'll let you know what I decide," she settles on and kisses Emma good night.

Back at the party, Emma is just thinking this scene over with warm butterflies in her stomach before she notices almost everyone's attention is on the doorway. Standing there, is Regina, wearing a tight black dress that shimmers with every move. She's looking out over the ground uncertainly, probably trying to find Emma.

Some whispers were going around. "What is the mayor doing here?"

"Are we in trouble?"

Emma shouldered her way up to greet her. "Hey," she smiled, pinked cheeked because maybe she's just a bit drunk and wanting to kiss Regina especially when she looks beyond amazing in this dress.

Regina heard those whispers and with an arched brow, addressed them. "I'm not the mayor any longer. And I'm here, to see my girlfriend." At this, she grabbed Emma who was standing next to her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. Immediately the room went into an uproar.

Emma felt her whole body flush. Regina had just come out to several people! All for Emma!

"Regina..." she says softly as the crowd gossips. The mayor is stiff, probably not entirely comfortable with coming out but having done it regardless.

"It was time, Emma," Regina states. "If I can tell my mother, than I can damn well tell anyone else." She squeezed Emma's hand and Emma swore she couldn't stop smiling. "You just made me the happiest I have ever been in a long time," Emma admitted and this time Regina blushed. They said nothing for a moment, just looking each other over with admiration in their eyes.

"Come, let's get your sister. Currently she's a hot mess crying over an ice sculpture," Emma encouraged, tugging Regina along by the hand.

"Oh, I do not want to miss this," Regina smirked, pulling out her phone so she could record the whole thing.

* * *

"Did you all plan this out?" Ursula asks when a timid Emma comes up and finally tells him she's resigning. "First Ruby, then Mulan, and now you?" He looks hurt by this and Emma doesn't begrudge him. But she can't stay here forever and they both know that.

"I'm sorry," she murmurs, standing awkwardly in front of his desk, hands in pocket as he looks in disappointment at the slip she gave him. "You offered me a chance when I was down on my luck and I'm grateful for it. I'll never forget the good things you've done for me and I didn't want to leave; this place was like my second home and I would never have met my love if not for it. But I can't continue going on. The rest of the world is calling my name and I need to go out there and explore it."

He shakes his head. "I'm not mad at you Swan, just sad. I've lost a lot of amazing girls this past year and it's going to hit me and the business hard." He gets up from his desk. "But I'm not going to hold you back. I can see you're in a good place mentally now and I won't hold you back."

"And don't throw me a party. I've had enough of saying goodbyes." Emma smiles wanly, happy to hear Ursula is happy for her.

"Not even a small one?" he asks playfully though he can't hide the sadness in his eyes.

"No. I wouldn't be able to take it," Emma answers because she doesn't want to make this into a big deal and she doesn't want the girls at work to be upset again and missing yet another one of their girls.

"At least tell me who your love is. You owe me that little."

Emma hesitates. Should she tell Ursula? Regina might not want to come out yet to anyone else. Already when she'd come out to her mother that had been an ordeal and when they had had dinner to talk about it, Regina had broke down in tears as all the mixed emotions inside her came out. Emma had just held her and rubbed her back. Regina confessed that she knew her mother would retaliate against this and that since her term was ending in a month, they best get out of town on the same day it ended.

Emma didn't entirely believe Cora would stoop so low as to hurt her daughter for simply wanting to be able to love openly, but Regina had a haunted look in her eyes and Emma knew, just what type of scum bag Cora was.

"Uh, well, actually," Emma rubs the back of her head and decides, it's just Ursula, he won't tell because of the usual secretive nature of their work. "It's...the mayor," she says in a small voice.

Ursula merely smiles. "Ah, I had a feeling, Swan. You were taking those sessions way too hard."

Emma flushed. "Was I that obvious?"

"Even more obvious than you were with Lily."

"Well, shit," Emma says and the two of them laugh at this and at how hopelessly in love Emma is with Regina.

* * *

 _One year later_

"Huh, Robin's mayor of Storybrooke now?" Emma said as she peered over the paper. She was sat at a quaint table, mug of coffee in her hand. Regina, who was at the toaster, getting the last two slices of toast, sat down down in front of Emma while responding, "I wouldn't be surprised if my mother got him the position. She always did love him more than she loved me."

"Good thing you don't have to worry about any of those politics anymore," Emma concluded, folding her paper and digging into the breakfast Regina had prepared them. It was still slightly dark outside because the two of them woke up early nowadays. It was something easy for Regina to do but Emma still had difficulty with because she had been used to working all night and then sleeping all day for so long. They finished breakfast and then headed out to the stables, the smell of fresh hay greeting them as they opened up the place.

Several neighs resounded, the horses greeting them. The usual smile over took Regina's face as she strode up to the first horse, patting it on the nose. "Good morning to you too," she exclaimed. Emma enjoyed watching Regina like this. She was a different person now that she was free. Now that she didn't have to wear the armor of a politician but could wear jeans and flannel shirts and whatever the hell she was in the mood for. Now that she didn't have to hide her sexuality and could love Emma openly.

Regina still had her sharp tongue and her temper but she was happier. It was evident in her body language. She didn't carry tension in her shoulders, like she was always on the ready to fight. And she smiled more. Emma loved seeing Regina happy like this. Regina for too long had been denied the things she loved. It was only with a push from Zelena and Emma that Regina had gathered the courage to be herself and to follow her true dreams.

It had been roughly a year since Regina quit her mayoral position and she and Emma moved out to the countryside in Connecticut. Here, they owned a lot of land, land they used for their horses. They ran stables that had horses that were certified for therapy or for horseback riding. Regina knew a lot about how this all worked so Emma let her lead the way and handle most things while Emma helped out on the side. Emma knew this work was less glamorous than either of their old positions but she didn't mind. Because she felt at ease. And she felt like she belonged. And this was Regina's passion project so it was Emma's, until Emma could figure out what it was she was going to do with her future job occupation. For now she was content to follow in Regina's footsteps.

The stables had surprisingly grown popular and fast. Regina was an excellent teacher and she was also hot, so Emma often caught snippets of the handful of young boys that came around here, talking about her beauty. Emma laughed to herself, thinking how lucky she was to have Regina all to herself.

Emma even learned how to horseback ride. It wasn't her favorite thing in the world since she was scared she'd fall but she could ride if she needed to. Regina loved riding the horses and she was such a pro at it. Such a natural that Emma would have thought she was born knowing how to ride. But, while Regina rode the horses during the day, Emma rode Regina at night. Hard.

Their sex life was as intense as it was before with the exception that most nights than some, they would skip the whips and the chains and just settle down for soft love making. In those moments they felt truly connected and truly in love. And especially lucky to have found each other despite all the odds in their way.

"I love you, Regina Mills," Emma murmured into Regina's now long brunette locks.

"And I love you, Emma Swan," Regina breathed out and they shared a kiss.

 **A/N: This is it, the end of this series. I hope you all enjoyed it; leave me any parting thoughts you may have about it. I'll be off, writing another fic with these two marvelous ladies.**

 **It's going to be called _Fear and Loathing_ and will also deal with light BDSM themes.**


End file.
